Dirty Pool
by artgalmd
Summary: Lante fic that follows the current storyline, but I have added my own little twist.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Present Day**

Lulu Spencer's father had once told her that there were two kinds of people in the world. The con man who made his living off of running scams and the mark, the intended target of the con game. Which side you chose was the deciding factor in one's direction in life. At an early age, Lulu made the decision that she was never going to be anyone's mark. She spent years distrusting love, instead building a life focused on a career that she could care less about. Along the way, she had made mistakes. The kind that changed lives and shaped who she was as a person today. She learned from those mistakes the best way that she could, by building a wall around her heart and protecting herself from anyone and anything that could hurt her. That wall had stayed strong, protecting her for a long time, until that one day that she found herself in Jake's and met a guy in serious need of a haircut.

You see, love was the ultimate con game. A deception of the deepest form. It could make a person change who they were, just to make someone like them. It could make a body obsessive, morphing into something that was never seen initially. It corrupted your thoughts, your actions and infiltrated your heart, until inevitably it destroyed you. At least, that was Lulu's opinion before she met and fell in love with Dante Falconeri. Luke Spencer said that was her downfall. She had failed to learn the biggest lesson in the game of cons. You never let your feelings get involved, because inevitably the con artist became the mark.

Detective Dante Falconeri had walked into Jake's that night, the perfect mark in Lulu's game. He was overly cocky, easy on the eyes and overzealous in his approach of her. He had no problem letting her know how much he wanted to date her and she had no problem telling him how much she wanted to see him fail. She was a Corrinthos supporter. He was intent on bringing down the organization, mobster by freaking mobster. She was bored, hating anything to do with relationships, let alone love. She had been betrayed by her family, her past boyfriends and even her friendships. She was bitter and cynical and his advances annoyed her. But, he didn't stop and somewhere in the following months, his cheesy pick-up lines had become endearing.

She enjoyed their banter and found herself seeking him out. The day that he told her that he loved her was monumental, the wall that had surrounded her heart, crumbling around her. The fact that she was able to return his love was surprising to her, as she had forsaken it for so long. So, why in the last few days had she allowed her trust in him to be swayed. How was it that she could so easily believe the lies that were placed before her very eyes. If she could turn back the clock a few hours she would, telling him how wrong she was. If she could turn back time several weeks they could have averted the whole thing and she wouldn't have found herself in her latest predicament. But, she was a Spencer and cynicism ran in the family. Trust was just a word and actions spoke louder.

So, where did it all go wrong, she thought, as she stood staring down the barrel of a gun outside the nursery at General Hospital, pleading for her life. At what point in the game of love had she become the mark.

_**Two weeks earlier**_

Spinelli listened in as the valkerye discussed her diabolical plan with the dark-haired one. It couldn't be. Did his ears deceive him? The original blonde one and her duplicitous one were pawns in the valkerye's own machinations. He was deluded by the assurance of the original one's proclamations. He was so sure that the duplicitous one would cause her harm, that his very nature was in truth, deceptive. How else could he have deceived Stone Cold and Mr. Sir, so completely. The Jackel stayed hidden in the shadows, eavesdropping on their conversation, his need to stay honor-bound to the C's, clouded by his knightly obligation to the fair Lulu. This did not bode well, he thought to himself, quietly extricating himself and leaving the metro court in seek of his Maxinista.

"So, what's it going to be, Brook Lynn? Are you with me, or against me? Because I promise you, Brook Lynn. You do not want to be on my bad side," Carly Jax told her, standing with her hands folded, waiting impatiently for a response.

"What you are asking me is impossible? Dante and I grew up together, we are friends. He trusts me," Brook Lynn answered with a New Jersey accent. She was at odds because she really needed the money, but didn't know if she wanted to risk her friendship with Dante.

"Exactly. He trusts you, Brook Lynn. He will never see it coming," Carly said, amazed at the ingenuity of the plan.

Dante had destroyed her life, ripping it to shreds, piece by piece, starting with his deception as an undercover cop. She couldn't wait to see his reaction when she returned the favor, pulling everything away from him that he cared about, before watching his dreams blow up in his face.

It was everything that he deserved. No one messed with Carly, or her family and got away with it. And god forbid if anyone got in her way, well, it was just their sorry luck as they would be mowed upon by her path of destruction.

"It'll never happen, he loves her. I know Dante. He will never cheat on her," Brook Lynn told her. She had seen how he looked at Lulu and how she looked back at him and had known instantly that they were more than occasional lovers.

"I never said that he had to cheat, Brook Lynn. Just that it had to APPEAR that he cheated. Just get me a picture or a video. I don't care how you do it," Carly answered, deviously.

"You have to know how much something like this will hurt Lulu. I thought that she was like a sister to you?" Brook Lynn asked, wondering why Carly was so hell bent on destroying Dante and Lulu.

"She chose Dante over family. She threw me, Jason and especially Michael under the bus. First, when he was undercover, but more importantly when Michael's welfare was at stake. She made her bed, now she can lie in it and be burned with the consequences right along with Dante," Carly replied, angrily.

"My only question is how badly do you need the money. You can't pay your creditors and one call from Jax and the government will be pounding at your door, ready to book you for credit fraud," Carly said, in an intimidating voice.

"The Quartermaines are out of the question, or you would have called them already. Your parents have cut you off and have gone so far as to leave the country to get away from your financial burden. You're on your own. So, just how badly do you want my help?"

"The fact that Dante grew up with you is an advantage. You're already halfway there, Brook Lynn. You just have to seal the deal with a picture and fifty-thousand dollars will be at your fingertips," Carly said, trying to entice Brook Lynn.

"So, what's it going to be? Are you with me?" Carly said, reaching for the phone, "Or are you against me?"

"I'm with you," Brook Lynn answered, reluctantly, "But, this is going to take time. I going to need a stipend to set me up and I'll need an apartment," Brook Lynn demanded, thinking about all that she could acquire from Carly Jax.

"Consider it done. Might I suggest the loft on King Street," Carly told her, "It's one floor below Dante's. But, you'll have to pay with cash. I don't want a money trail leading back to me," Carly replied. She didn't want Dante or Lulu catching on to her plan until it was too late.

She wanted to watch the noose tighten around their necks, see them dangling desperately in the wind, right before she snapped the life from both of them.

…...

Maxie sat at her desk, trying to find the words to tell Lulu her suspicions of Brook Lynn. The girl had hooker written all over her, Maxie thought, as she recalled the outfit that Brook Lynn had worn to Jake's and the way that she had practically leaped into Dante's arms. The girl was on the prowl and Maxie had no intention of letting her continue her obvious pursuit of Dante, or any other male in the vicinity of Port Charles.

As far as Maxie was concerned, Hooker Lynn could return to where ever the hell she came from. Maxie didn't buy for a minute that she was here to visit family. Brook Lynn had barely kept in touch with the Q's since she left several years ago, so why her sudden appearance now. It just didn't add up and Maxie's best-friend radar was on high alert. Lulu was a friend to Brook Lynn, why, Maxie never understood. Brook Lynn made no effort to hide her feelings about Lulu stealing Dillon from Georgie and Maxie's sister was Brook Lynn's best friend. Maxie always found it odd that Lulu and Brook Lynn formed a bond, but then again who was she to talk. No one ever expected Lulu and Maxie to become friends. They hated each other until Logan Hayes came along. It was because of what they had been through, each seeing a side of the other that they might never have known existed, that they were able to put aside their differences and form the bond of a true, lasting friendship. All owed to the torment of Logan Hayes.

Brook Lynn, on the other hand, Maxie couldn't see her standing by Lulu, being a true friend when another friend was in need. No, Maxie had Brook Lynn pegged from the moment she saw her, a manipulative shrew, who couldn't even hold a tune. Why every guy at Jake's was falling over her skinny ass, Maxie would never understand, but she would be damned if she would let the little viper anywhere near Lulu's man.

"So, Lulu, what did you and Dante do after you left Jake's? I overheard what Hooker Lynn said about you, Dillon and Georgie," Maxie asked her, curiously.

"Maxie, be nice. Brook Lynn is a friend." Lulu replied, knowing that Maxie was just looking out for her.

"With friends like her, who needs enemies. If you don't watch your back. She is going to swoop in on your man, Lulu. I've seen her kind in action," Maxie warned her.

"First of all, I trust Dante. I know his heart. Secondly, the only reason that you are concerned about Brook Lynn is because you feel threatened by her. Face it, Maxie. She is competition for the available men in Port Charles," Lulu said, truthfully.

"Too bad the man she has her sights on isn't available, huh. I got my eye on her, so you can rest easy that she won't get her claws into Dante, or Johnny, or anyone else for that matter," Maxie assured her, organizing the files on her desk.

"You're with Spinelli, why do you care if Brook Lynn has her sights on Johnny? Dante would be thrilled because that would mean his mom wouldn't be dating him," Lulu answered.

"She is a black widow, where men are concerned, Lulu. Take my advice, if you don't keep an eye on her, the shrew with the fake accent is going to ensnare every male in Port Charles into her web, starting with Dante."

"Well, Dante and I love each other. So, that will never happen. I trust him and he trusts me," Lulu replied, knowing that it was the truth.

She had come a long way from her adolescent relationships with Dillon, Logan and even Johnny. Dante had taught her what it truly meant to love someone, to give yourself to someone so completely that you didn't know where you began or your partner ended. They understood each other and there was no way in hell that either of them would ever let anyone come between them.

"Maxie, relax. Brook Lynn is a good friend, you'll see. I know that she can seem a little rough around the edges, but she has a good heart. She is like a sister to Dante," Lulu said, trying to reassure Maxie.

"Just give her a chance. I know that once you get to know her, you'll see what Dante and I do," Lulu told her.

"Maybe, but don't count on it," Maxie replied, not falling for Brook Lynn's act for one minute.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I can't believe that you use that stuff in your pasta, Dante," Brook Lynn told him, standing beside him in his kitchen and assisting with dinner. She was dicing tomatoes and onions, while Dante looked on an d smiled, amazed at her ability in the kitchen. He tried to add the jar of spaghetti sauce to the pan, but she pushed his hands away, giving him a look that said, Don't even think about it.

"Dante Angelo Falconeri, you get that jar away from me. You should be ashamed of yourself. No self-respecting Italian would use sauce from a jar. Your Ma would have a heart attack if she knew and your grandmother, Dante, well, I won't even go there."

"I have time to dice tomatoes and onions," Dante told her, as Brook Lynn placed the ingredients in the pan and turned on the burner. She added some tomato paste and water to the pot as well, alongwith the fresh herbs that she had insisted that Dante buy at the market.

"Trust me, Dante. Lulu will love this," Brook Lynn told him, secretly hoping that Lulu bailed at the last minute. There was something truly intimate about sharing pasta with someone and she really didn't want to be the third wheel at tonight's dinner.

Dante's cellphone rang and he answered it, a big smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, beautiful. What time do you think that you'll be over?" Dante asked, nervous about tonight's dinner. He wanted to ask Lulu a question that would change their immediate future and he was jittery as a bug because he didn't know what her answer would be.

"7pm? No, that sounds fantastic. No, honey, you don't have to bring a thing. I'm sure. Can't wait. Love you too, baby." Dante replied, hanging up the phone.

"So, I guess that means that she is coming," Brook Lynn questioned, trying not to sound too disappointed.

"Yes," Dante said, looking down at his watch, "in less than forty-five minutes. I need to hurry. Do you mind?" Dante asked, pointing to the kitchen and the pasta.

"Not at all, Dante. I love cooking pasta for you," Brook Lynn answered, smiling.

"For Lulu," Dante told her, grinning, as he rushed around the apartment, finishing the final touches to make tonight special.

Brook Lynn looked on, knowing that he was completely devoted to Lulu, not once in her lifetime could she ever remember Dante this nervous about a girl coming over for dinner. It wasn't like this was their first date, either. He was sleeping with the girl, so what the hell did he have to be nervous about. A lightbulb turned on in her head, as her jaw dropped to the floor.

"Dante, you aren't-" Brook Lynn started to say, as the elevator was heading to his loft.

"Dammit, she said 7pm. She's early," Dante said, scurrying about the apartment.

"I'm just saying, if you are doing what I think that you are, Dante. That's a big step. Are you sure that you are ready for that?" Brook Lynn asked him, as he sent her a puzzled look.

"Brook Lynn, I really don't know what you are talking about," he said racing to open the cage.

"Maxie? What are you doing here?" Dante asked, as his smile faded when he realized it wasn't Lulu.

"Oh, I just thought that I would keep you company until Lulu arrived," Maxie answered, walking into the kitchen and inspecting the items on the counter.

"Hmm, homemade pasta sauce. I hope there isn't any peppers in there. Lulu hates those." Maxie told her, continuing to shadow Brook Lynn in the kitchen.

"There is a perfectly comfortable couch in the living room, Maxie. If you don't mind, I would really like to finish dinner. So, if you would leave my kitchen that would be great," Brook Lynn ordered, stirring the pasta sauce.

"You mean Dante's kitchen, right?" Maxie said, leaning in to whisper, "I'm on to you Brook Lynn."

"Well, why don't you watch me from over there," Brook Lynn answered, irritated that this night was not going as planned.

"Did you need something from Lulu, Maxie? Because if its about work, I'd really like you to wait. I want tonight to be about Lulu and me. And well, any mention of Kate tends to derail any plans that we have," Dante cautioned her, wanting nothing to interrupt their evening together.

"No worries, Dante. I'm on your side," Maxie told him, looking at Brook Lynn.

The elevator started to move again and Dante shoved Maxie toward the exit as he once again opened the cage.

"Brook Lynn, I hate to rush you, but do you think-" he said, as Brook Lynn was pouring the pasta sauce into a bowl and placed it on the table along with the noodles and bread.

"Great. Oh, I almost forgot," he said, rushing into the kitchen and pouring two glasses of wine.

He placed them on the counter and waited for Lulu to arrive, as Brook Lynn looked on with irritation and Maxie smiled.

"Hi, honey," Lulu greeted Dante, as he rushed to embrace her. He kissed her on the lips and reached for the bags in her hands, placing them on a nearby chair.

"Maxie, Brook Lynn, what are you doing here?" Lulu questioned, wondering why Dante's loft was feeling like grand central station.

"Brook Lynn was helping me with something and Maxie was just about to leave, weren't you?" Dante said, pleading with his eyes.

"Yes, I was. Lulu, I came over here about that thing we discussed earlier. But, it can wait. Sounds like Dante has something interesting planned for you," Maxie answered, grinning at Brook Lynn.

"Brook Lynn, why don't I follow you out," Maxie hinted, practically using a cattle prod to move her away from Dante.

"Thanks for your help, Brook Lynn. But, I'll take it from here," Dante said closing the cage after Brook Lynn and Maxie were in the elevator.

"What was that all about?" Lulu asked as Dante reached for the glasses of red wine from the counter and handed her one.

"That? Oh, nothing. I just wanted tonight to be special for my the woman in my life," Dante replied, kissing Lulu on the lips.

"Special, huh? Did I forget something? It's not our anniversary. It's not my birthday. Unless, your mother lied to me, it's not your birthday. So, what did I miss? What are we celebrating, Dante?" Lulu asked, curiously.

"The rest of our lives," Dante answered, as he ushered Lulu to the table and pulled a chair out for her. He pushed her seat in and took a seat opposite of Lulu and held his glass to hers.

"Salud," Dante told her as Lulu answered the same.

Dante folded his hands and Lulu watched him, still a little uncomfortable as she wasn't Catholic.

"Thank you for the food and company, Father. Bless it and may it keep us healthy. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen," he recited, looking up at Lulu, who smiled back at him.

"Let's eat," he said, passing her the pasta dish and grabbing a piece of bread, "I hope that you're hungry."

"Starving," Lulu answered, as Dante placed a generous portion on her plate.

He waited for her to take the first bite before twirling the pasta on his fork and placing it in his mouth.

"Mmm, this is heavenly, Dante. Is this from a jar, because I want to know which one?" Lulu asked, amazed at the flavors.

"No, I was going to make pasta with my secret ingredient, but Brook Lynn insisted that I let her make you homemade pasta. She said it was not Italian of me to serve you pasta from a jar," Dante told Lulu, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Since when do you care what anyone thinks? And for the record, Dante, I happen to love your secret ingredient," Lulu replied, as Dante leaned over the table.

"You got a little something-" he said, using his finger to remove the pasta sauce at the corner of her mouth. He kissed her lips and smiled, sitting back down across from her. They ate in silence, smiling at one another and at some point during the dinner Dante reached across the table and took her hand in his, his thumb stroking the top of her wrist. Dinner was intimate, inviting, comfortable, like something a married couple would do, sharing a meal after coming home from a long, hard day's work.

"So, how was your day?" Dante asked her, looking into her eyes.

"It was fine. Kate was left for Paris this morning, so the office was pretty quiet. How was your day? Anything exciting happen?" Lulu asked him, knowing it was uneventful since she hadn't received a phone from Lucky. Ever since Lucky and Dante became partners, Lucky promised to call Lulu if anything arose. It was hard being the girlfriend of a cop, but even harder when the cop and her brother worked together. She didn't know what she would do if either were ever hurt on the job.

"Work was quiet, too. I guess the Zaccharas and the Corrinthos organizatons must have declared a ceasefire today," Dante grinned, placing his fork diagonal across his plate.

"Finished?" he asked, as Lulu tried to stand and clear the table.

"Leave it," he said, directing her toward the couch and sitting beside her.

"Are you feeling all right, Dante? You are a stickler for cleaning up right after dinner," she answered, her curiosity peaked.

"We have more important things to discuss," Dante told her, placing her hands in his.

Dante had a really serious look on his face and Lulu was apprehensive about where this conversation was headed. She smiled trying to alleviate her nervousness, but her hands shook beneath his giving away her fear.

"Hey, sweetheart, there is nothing to be worried about. I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am to you for sticking by me all of these months. You are my rock, Lulu. I would be lost without you," he told her stroking her hand as Lulu's eyes grew misty.

"I should have never involved you in all of this. Honestly, I'm surprised that you didn't turn tail and run months ago, any sane woman would."

"Well, I'm not any woman," Lulu replied, "I stayed by you, Dante, because I love you. I believe in you and I know that everything that you have done has been because you thought that it was the right thing to do. You were true to yourself, Dante and to your beliefs. I love you even more because of that."

"I love you too, honey. That's why I would really like, I hope, Lulu that you will consider-" Dante said, trying to find the words.

"What Dante? Just say it. You can ask me anything," Lulu said, wondering what was bothering Dante.

"Move in with me, Lulu. We spend every waking moment together and I would really love it if you would move into the loft with me. I'll even let you redecorate if you want," Dante said looking around at the masculine décor.

"Redecorate? No, I think that it is perfect the way it is. But, Dante moving in together is a big thing. Are you sure that it is what you want?" Lulu asked, more to herself than to Dante. It was a big commitment and until now Lulu would have said that she wasn't ready for it.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life, Lulu," Dante replied, truthfully.

"Can I have a few days to think about it? I mean, I would have to let Maxie know, in case she needs to sublet my room and are you sure that Olivia won't have any issues with our living together?" Lulu questioned, trying to find excuses for why she shouldn't move in with him.

"Lulu, I am twenty-six years old. My mother hasn't had a say in who lives with me since I graduated from the academy and found my own apartment in Bensonhurst. But, that's not what this is about, is it? You're scared. You think that moving in with me is going to change everything," Dante answered, knowing that what he said was the truth.

"Won't it?" Lulu asked, worried that what he said was true. What if everything did change? What if one morning Dante awoke and decided that he didn't want the person laying next to him. What if he stopped loving her? She didn't know if she could handle that. She didn't know if she could face the heartache.

"Lulu, nothing you decide could ever change the way that I feel about you. I love you. Please, believe that," Dante assured her.

"I love you, Dante. But, what if you change your mind about me. I know that you said that the fact that I had an abortion didn't change anything, but what if you don't feel the same a month from now. Dante, I love you so much," Lulu told him, the tears streaming down her face.

"Lulu, whether you decide tom move in with me, or not, I love you. I will probably buy a padlock for my door, so we don't get interrupted when we are arranging our sleep-overs, but-" Dante said, as Lulu interjected.

"Ok," Lulu answered, the words out of her mouth before her head could override them.

"What? Are you sure?" Dante asked, not sure if he was hearing correctly. Did Lulu just agree to moving in with him?

"Dante, yes. Don't ask me again because I might change my mind," she replied, as Dante pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He released her suddenly, taking his cell phone out of his pocket and placing a call to the precinct.

"What are you doing?" Lulu asked, as Dante placed a finger over her lips.

"Lucky, it's Dante. I need to take a day off tomorrow to handle a family issue. Do you mind letting Mac know? No, it's not an major emergency, but let's just say that it requires my immediate attention. Thanks, Lucky," Dante said, hanging up.

"You're turn," Dante told her, reaching for her cellphone and placing it in her hand.

"What? Are you out of your mind, Dante. Kate is not going to give me a day off," Lulu told him.

"Cousin Connie is in Paris, Lulu. You are going to call Maxie and tell her you need the day off because you are moving in with me," Dante instructed.

"Maxie, it's Lulu. No, everything is fine. Yes, Dante's dinner was very romantic. About the dinner, Maxie. Dante asked me if-"

"Spit it out, Lulu," Dante said, sitting beside her.

"He asked me to move in with him. Yes, I accepted. Tomorrow, well yes, I guess that I could start moving my things to his place that early. Why do I get the feeling that you are excited that I am moving in with Dante, Maxie. Are you trying to get rid of me? Hello?" Lulu asked, but there was silence on the other end.

"She hung up on me," Lulu told Dante in disbelief.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Brook Lynn knew that after today she needed to step up her timeline for seducing Dante and so as soon as she exited Dante's building she went directly to the Metro Court in search of Carly. The Quartermaines were putting on the pressure, wanting Brook Lynn to move in with them, but she had no intention of doing so. She had googled the apartment listings in the area and learned that a loft directly below Dante's was available for sublet for the next few months.

That's where Carly came in, if she wanted Brook Lynn to step up her game, then she was going to have to front her the cash. The apartment wasn't as nice as Dante's, or a suite at the Metro Court, but its vicinity to him would make his seduction so much easier. And the fact, that she had gotten Lulu to ask Carly to set her up with a gig at the Metro Court Lounge, made her open appearance with Carly that much more believable. No one would suspect her true motives, least of all Dante.

"So, tell me your progress?" Carly asked Brook Lynn with a soft voice, looking around the lobby to ensure that no one was listening.

"I've hit a bit of a road block. But, I think that I know what you can do to help," Brook Lynn told her, conspiratorially.

"What sort of road block?" Carly wanted to know. She was bound and determined to destroy Dante and separating him from Lulu was just the start. They would rue the day that they ever decided to go against Carly and her family.

"He was planning a special dinner for her tonight. You don't think that he was going to propose, do you?" Brook Lynn asked Carly, concerned.

"Propose? No, its too soon. They haven't even been together as a couple for that long. No, its something else," Carly answered, putting on her thinking cap.

"Well, you better hope that is true, Carly. If he proposes, all bets are off the table. I'm not stealing someone's fiancee," Brook Lynn answered, firmly.

"You'll do whatever I pay you to do, Brook Lynn. Is that clear?" Carly replied, leaning in to whisper, "Or start planning on explaining to everyone why you are being led away in cuffs by the FBI."

"You know, I could go to the Quartermaines. I'm family. They just might bail me out of this mess and make the fraud charges disappear," Brook Lynn responded, in a threatening tone.

"They might. Or, they may just wash their hands of you. Are you willing to take that chance, Brook Lynn? Carly replied in a menacing tone used to dissuade her.

"If you want me to move this along, you're going to have to do something for me, Carly," Brook Lynn told her, placing the apartment brochure on the bar in front of her.

"What's this?" Carly asked, looking down at the apartment listing.

"My new apartment. Which you're going to pay for of course," Brook Lynn informed Carly, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back against the bar.

…...

Lulu unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside, her jaw dropping to the floor at the sight in front of her. Boxes upon boxes were stacked near the door, sealed and ready to move. They were even labeled, telling Lulu what was in each. On the couch were hangers with dresses attached and shoes of various colors, as well as an empty box labeled miscellaneous. Unbelievable, Lulu thought looking at all of the boxes. She wondered how long it had taken Maxie from the time she had hung up the phone to her packing the first box.

"I'm moving ten minutes away, Maxie, not to Alaska," Lulu informed her, as she carefully placed the shoes in the box, laying a few dresses on top, assuring that they didn't wrinkle.

"That's what I forgot! You're winter clothes in storage," Maxie answered, rushing for the step ladder to access the ceiling storage unit in the back bedroom.

"Stop. Leave them," Lulu instructed, overwhelmed by what was already in front of her. How was Dante going to respond, she thought, finding a vacant spot on the couch and sitting.

"Maybe this is a bad idea," Lulu exclaimed, feeling apprehensive by how quickly this transition was occurring.

"What? Oh no, you can't change your mind, Lulu," Maxie told her, standing in front of Lulu with her hands on her hips.

"For the first time in years, I have the apartment to myself and you're not going to take that away from me, Lulu."

"But, there's just so much," Lulu answered, staring at all of the boxes.

"So, we'll just move what you need and put the rest in storage," Dante answered Lulu, walking into the apartment, "A very big storage unit."

Lulu just smiled at Dante, her nervousness kicking in, as she realized that there was no getting around this. She was really doing this. She took a deep breath and stood, grabbing the nearest box and starting to lift it.

"Hey, what are you doing? Put that down, before you hurt yourself," Dante told her, motioning for her to place the box on floor, "I hired a moving company."

Three men entered the apartment and Dante directed them to the sealed boxes, telling them which ones to take first. They were large, burly men that looked as if they could carry three times their weight.

"Be careful with that," Lulu exclaimed as one hefted a box into his arms and she heard her rock band instruments rattle inside.

"Take it, quickly, before she changes her mind," Maxie instructed, thanking God that she wouldn't have to hear another band session with Dante and Lulu. He was pretty good on the drums, but give him a guitar and it was downhill from there.

"I should probably check the bedroom to see if Maxie forgot anything," Lulu informed them, walking slowly to the last room on the right.

To her consternation, Maxie had taken care of everything, the only visible item left in her bedroom, the floor lamp that Maxie had picked out when they first moved in. Lulu sat on the bed and looked around the room, taking in the empty closet, the bare walls and the dresser with its drawers pulled open and all the items removed. She could remember the first day that she moved in and how excited she was about being on her own and decorating the apartment.

So much had changed since that day; she had changed. She wasn't the same girl that she was a few years back. Meeting Dante had steered her path into a new direction. She was optimistic about life, less cynical. She no longer thought of love as a complete con game, leery of anyone that tried to break that wall around her heart. Dante had insisted on dating her, never giving up no matter how many times she shot him down. His cheesy pick-up lines won her over and little by little she found herself seeking him out and eventually falling for him.

They had been together for almost a year, so it was inevitable that they would take the next step. So, why was she so nervous about moving in with him? She spent nearly every night with him and they were always arranging their schedules so that they could get together. Wouldn't this solve their problems, eliminate the constant interruptions? She placed her head in her hands, her eyes becoming misty and wondered why a few packed boxes, an empty closet and a barren bedroom were having such a profound effect on her.

"Ready?" Dante asked her, standing in the doorway and watching her. He walked into her now former bedroom and sat down beside her, putting his arms around her.

"Why do I feel like I am losing something?" Lulu asked him, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"You are closing one chapter and starting another, Lulu. That can be scary," Dante told her, understanding why she was melancholy, "If you are unsure about this, it's not too late."

"What and face the wrath of Maxie? No thank you," Lulu told him, grinning.

"Your right, knowing Maxie, she's probably already picked out the paint for the room," Dante answered, laughing.

"So, what do you say we ditch this apartment," Dante said, rising from the bed and reaching for Lulu's hand.

"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Lulu replied, taking one last glance at the room that represented her past.

This move was her way of saying goodbye to her old self and embracing her new and improved self with Dante. Placing her hand in his, she stepped out of the bedroom and walked toward Maxie. You'd think that she was moving to the other side of the world, as the tears streamed down their faces.

"You two do realize that my apartment," Dante said, stopping to correct himself, "our apartment, is just a few miles away, right?" he said, raising one eyebrow at their grief-stricken faces.

"Never mind him, Maxie. He's never had a roommate before," Lulu answered, wiping the tears from her face and smiling at Maxie. So many memories, Lulu thought, good and bad.

"Ok, I'm ready," she said, squeezing Dante's hand and leaving her old apartment behind.

…...

Several hours later, Dante and Lulu sat on his couch, pleased at the progress that they had made. Her clothes were hanging on one side of his closet and her shoes placed in an organized manner on the floor. Empty boxes littered the main living space, as Lulu reached for a slice of pizza.

"This is the best sausage and mushroom pizza that I have ever had," Dante told her, taking another bite of his pizza.

"Says the Italian whose secret ingredient is sauce from a jar," Lulu laughed, taking a sip of red wine and grinning from ear to ear.

"Ouch," Dante replied, setting down the pizza slice and reaching for Lulu. He pulled her into his arms and leaned in, kissing her slowly and softly on the lips. He angled his head, his hand grasping the back of Lulu's head as he deepened the kiss, lowering her onto the couch. Lulu moaned, instinctively separating her legs so that Dante could press his body flush against hers.

Dante was kissing the side of her neck, his tongue moving across her skin to send shivers racing up and down her body. He was driving her crazy, tormenting her with his soft kisses. She wanted to hear his moans, feel his reaction to her touch and know how much he desired her. She moved her hands down Dante's back until she reached the top of his jeans, sliding her hands underneath his shirt and moving lower. She knew that she had struck gold when Dante moaned against her neck, adjusting his position, his kisses becoming more demanding, as Lulu's hands reached the top of his boxer briefs.

Tenatively, her fingers breached the barrier between them, as Dante inhaled sharply, grabbing the nape of Lulu's neck and crushing his lips to hers in a passionate kiss. Dante moved his left hand, reaching beneath Lulu's dress and slowly inching up her thigh, watching her face as her chest rose and fell and she moaned louder with each caress of his hand. He was so close, she thought, just a few centimeters to the right. They locked eyes, each of their hands tormenting the other as they heard the noise coming from the elevator, signaling that someone was coming.

"Oh, come on," Lulu cried out, in frustration. Dante looked like he was in pain as he dropped his head to her chest.

"You're going to have to greet whoever that is," he told her, laughing as he stood and noticed his protruding jeans.

"For the record, when I found this place for you, they never said anything about elevators that don't lock, and uninvited guests," Lulu told him, adjusting her red dress as she turned toward the elevator to see who was coming. Dante stood a few away, leaning against the wall, as the elevator came to a complete stop.

"Brook Lynn?" Lulu said, surprised, with one hand on the cage and the other on the wall, barring Brook Lynn's entrance.

"Is Dante here? I need his help," Brook Lynn asked, as her eyes scanned the loft.

"I'm not sure, let me see," Lulu replied, her head turning to the right as she looked at Dante who nodded his head up and down.

"Come on in, Brook Lynn," Lulu told her, looking at Dante, as she stepped aside to let Brook Lynn enter the apartment. Nothing like Brook Lynn to kill the mood, Lulu thought looking down at Dante and nodding her head in disbelief as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Anyone want a beer?" Lulu asked, reaching the refrigerator and pulling one out. She used a bottle opener to release the beer's cap before taking a long drink, the beer cooling her, before she looked back at Dante and Brook Lynn.

"Hey, Brook Lynn, what seems to be the matter?" he asked, curious as to why she was here.

"This is SO embarrassing," Brook Lynn said, looking at Dante, "but, since you were so nice and helped me get that gig with Carly, well I knew that I needed a place to live. So, the Q's are great and all but I just can't wrap my head around seeing Edward every morning. Tracy would probably try to give me a curfew, so I started looking for a place. I really loved your loft, Dante. I mean, Lulu, you did such a great job finding it," Brook Lynn told her, really laying on the sugar.

"Anyway, to my relief, the tenant below you, Dante, just happened to need someone to sublet his place for a few months. He's in Tokyo, I think. Anyway, it was just too good to be true, you know. And I kept thinking, Dante, how your Ma would say it was fate, so I called the guy, Carly put in a good word for me, and I signed the papers today.

"Brook Lynn, that is fantastic," Dante said, hugging his new neighbor, "But, what's the problem, is there something wrong with the apartment?" he asked.

"I sorta locked myself out," she said, lowering her head and looking at the floor.

"You're moving in to this building?" Lulu questioned, stunned.

"I know isn't that the best. I never would have found this place without your help, Lulu. I mean, if you wouldn't have let me help you with his groceries the other day, I probably would be staying with the Q's." Brook Lynn, informed Lulu, smiling.

"Wonderful. So, I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of you," Lulu answered, her smile not quite meeting her eyes.

"My loft is one floor down. Unless, is that going to be a problem? I could probably still reach him and let him know that it just won't work out. If that's what you want, Lulu?" Brook Lynn said, waiting for an answer.

"What? That's crazy. Lulu and I are ecstatic that you will be in the same building. Me, especially. That is one more person in this town that isn't looking to put a target on my back," Dante joked, looking at Lulu.

"You'll be all right, while I assist Brook Lynn with her door," Dante asked Lulu, realizing that their night of lovemaking was on hold.

"Breaking and entering, Dante? Isn't that going against your cop code?" Lulu questioned him, raising her eyebrow.

"What? No, Lulu, it's not B & E. I'm just going to put my police skills to the test," he grinned, walking toward the elevator.

"I'll be right back. Five minutes, I promise. Then, we can pick up where we left off," Dante told Lulu, with a hopeful expression.

"I'll be waiting, " Lulu said, leaning against the kitchen counter, as she took another sip of her beer and watched the elevator descend to the next floor down.

Fifteen minutes later, Lulu was pacing back and forth in the apartment and Dante still hadn't returned. Finishing the beer, she set it down on the counter and decided to find out what was taking so long.

…...

"So, you know Sister Evangeline, she was going crazy trying to figure out who tried to glue her hand to her hair while she was sleeping," Brook Lynn told him, laughing as she shared her past exploits with Dante. She leaned over him with her hand resting on his back, as Dante kneeled before her door, using his tools to try and unlock the door.

"Ha, you got caught. That's because I'm the best. Sister Evangeline never saw me gluing anything," Dante teased. He was still laughing as Lulu came around the corner and observed the scene before her, not quite sure what to make of it. Brook Lynn had her hand on his shoulder, while Dante continued to pick the lock, unsuccessfully, Lulu thought as she came up behind them.

"Don't let me interrupt," Lulu told them, watching Dante's progress.

"Has it been ten minutes?" Dante asked, as he turned toward her grinning.

"More like twenty," Lulu replied, nudging Brook Lynn's hand off of Dante's shoulder.

"Excuse me, Brook Lynn, but someone's police skills seem to be a bit rusty," Lulu said, grinning at Dante.

"Rusty? You bite your words, Lulu Spencer," Dante told her, standing, "Well, let's see what you can do?" he said smiling, insinuating that Lulu couldn't do any better.

Lulu got down on her knees, making quick work of the lock and less than two minutes later, Brook Lynn's door was open.

"Ta-dah!," Lulu exclaimed, looking at Dante, "B & E is in my blood, Dante. Remember, I'm a Spencer."

"Wow! That was hot! My girlfriend just committed a crime," Dante laughed, his eyes only on Lulu.

"So, Brook Lynn. You're all set. So, I'm going to steal Dante back now," Lulu told her, leading Dante back to his loft.

"So, now that you've caught me red-handed, Officer. What are you going to do about it?" Lulu said, entering his loft and starting to undress.

"I'm afraid that I'm going to have to read you your Miranda rights, Lulu. It's the law," Dante said, watching Lulu's striptease with avid interest.

"And just how does that begin, Officer?" Lulu asked, unsnapping her bra and removing it while still wearing her dress. Ever since Valentine's Day, Dante loved her in anything that was red, so she had worn the dress knowing that it would make him remember that night.

"You have the right to remain silent," Dante told her, walking toward her, his eyes centered on her breasts.

"Well, that's not going to happen," Lulu told him, as Dante backed her against the wall and reached under her dress, drawing down her lacy underwear.

"Did I mention how much I love this dress?" Dante told her, pressing against her, "How much I love you?"

"Not in the last thirty minutes," Lulu said, moaning as he nibbled behind her ear.

"I love you, Lulu," Dante exclaimed, pulling her dress upwards.

"I love you, too, Dante," Lulu cried out, as his body became flush with hers.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brook Lynn closed her door behind her, smiling at Lulu's interruption. Lulu was jealous, Brook Lynn realized, her insecurities needling at her mind, as Lulu watched them. Brook Lynn grinned, thinking how perfect it was that Dante was falling under her spell. She could feel it, little by little. He trusted her completely, which baffled Brook Lynn since they hadn't set sight on each other in years. She could practically feel the fifty-thousand dollars in her hand, Carly's plan moving along nicely. Lulu's jealousy was rearing its ugly head and Brook Lynn laughed thinking how it would eat her alive.

Dante was completely oblivious, but Brook Lynn didn't need him to want her, she just needed Lulu to think that his eyes were roaming. It only took one seed to plant doubt and Brook Lynn knew that once that happened, everything else would simply fall into place. She should feel guilty, but she didn't. Georgie was her best-friend and Dillon was family, this was simply payback for a wrong never made right.

Lulu was pinned against the wall, her body racked with chills as Dante's lips traced the hollow in her neck, moving southward toward her breasts. With each inch closer, her breathing became more erratic, her pulse faster and her skin hotter to the touch.

"Anything that you say, or do, will definitely be held against you," he continued, reading her the Miranda Rights, as the temperature in the room increased a hundredfold.

He had seen the look on Lulu's face when he was helping Brook Lynn, the green-eyed monster threatening to jump her. Secretly he was thrilled, her jealousy turning him on.

"Like in a court of law?" Lulu asked, gasping as Dante found her warm center with one hand and cupped her sex, teasing the wet folds with one fingertip.

"In my court of law," Dante grinned, kissing her lips before dropping to his knees.

"You have the right to an attorney, but you won't need one. You have been found guilty, Lulu. Caught in the act of jealousy, by a police officer. If you aren't rehabilitated, there is no telling what you will do, " Dante told her, smiling as he lifted the hem of her dress, disappearing from Lulu's sight as her mouth opened slightly.

"So, now that I've been found guilty, Dante and I have been released to your custody," Lulu said, moaning as she felt him from beneath the silk of the dress.

"What are your plans for my rehabilitation?" she cried out, as she arched against him, his lips sucking on her flowering petals, parting them as his tongue darted inside.

His head was beneath the skirt of her dress and she felt his hands stroking up and down her thighs, holding her in place.

She could hear the erotic slurp of his mouth drinking her very essence, as her hips undulated against him, her hands reaching for the hem of her dress and pulling it above his head. He looked up at her, his eyes dark with passion, lapping at her labia, as he reached for one of her legs and hooked it over his shoulder, opening her thighs further and giving him deeper access.

He parted her folds, pushing past the barrier with his tongue, angling her hips and reaching behind her to grip her buttocks, lifting her so that he his tongue could push deeper. Lulu's body was trembling, a sheen of perspiration coated her skin, as her hands gripped his tousled hair, riding him, as his mouth continued to work her. She began to shake, her head tossing back and forth against the wall, as Dante's fingers joined his tongue, moving faster.

"Let go, Lulu. Give yourself to me," his muffled voice answered, coaxing her, as he nipped at her folds with his teeth, "Now," he told her, as her body exploded against his lips, her hips thrusting relentlessly against him. His tongue and fingers continued to assault her, causing pleasure to shoot from her toes to her very center, filling his mouth with her wetness. She lost complete control, screaming his name and holding him to her as her body continued to vibrate and shake from her orgasm.

"You're at my mercy," Dante smiled up at her, licking his lips as he still tasted her sweet dew.

"Completely under my control," he informed her, lifting her leg off of his shoulder and catching her body as it threatened to slide to the floor.

She was like jello in his hand, her body loose and relaxed from her pleasure. He stood slowly, holding her still against the wall, as his other hand pulled the dress up to her breasts, lifting it further north, over her head, before pulling it from her arms.

She leaned against the wall, completely vulnerable, her body shivering from anticipation, as his eyes moved over her nakedness, lingering on her breasts.

"Wrap your legs around me," he instructed her, as Lulu obeyed, while his lips traced her nipples and showered kisses across the skin of her chest.

He watched her, his pleasure increasing as he witnessed her open gasp as he took one nipple into his mouth and sucked it until the aching bud burst within his mouth. Once again, she felt the tingles shoot through her body, centering on her sex as she desperately wanted Dante to end this sweet torture.

Her hips thrust against him, resenting the barrier of his pants as she reached between them, releasing his belt buckle and sliding the loop from his waist and drawing down the zipper of his pants. She felt the hard press of his penis against her hand from within his blue boxer briefs, her knuckles grazing the head, as Dante gasped. He released her breast and raised his head, his eyes fixed on hers, as he thrust his member against her hand. Lulu's fingers pushed aside the flap to his briefs and he filled her palm, rubbing his tip against her, as his head rolled forward, his forehead resting against hers.

He slid his hand down her hip, moving his hand next to hers, their eyes locked as he inserted one finger into her folds and she gripped the head of his penis, moving her hands up and down his shaft, in tempo with his finger that pumped inside of her. They shifted their bodies, attempting to keep their balance against the wall, as their hands tormented each other.

Sweat was trickling down their faces, their bodies slick from their exertions, as Dante felt his release building and removed his finger from Lulu's wet heat to stay her hand on his sex. He pushed his pants and briefs to his ankles and used his hand to guide her, positioning himself at her entrance and parting her folds, holding her hand near the base of his shaft, so she could feel his length fill her. Her hand was on fire from the heat of their bodies pressed together.

Dante thrust in deeply, holding himself still, as he angled his hips and moved slowly in and out, watching Lulu's eyes as she looked down at the very act of him taking her. She moved her hand, her fingers stroking his taut abdomen and moving lower to encircle his penis, as he thrust inside her. The sight was completely erotic and she moaned, as he thrust faster, his penis pushing deeper, until she felt him touch her far within her womb. She was shaking, her body threatening to tear her apart, as he continued to pump into her, their noses touching and their moans becoming one.

She felt Dante's shout as his release came upon him and he reached for her hand, pulling it from between them and holding it above her head. With one hand he lifted her higher on his hips, and kissed her softly on her lips, before resting his head on her shoulder and pushing her body up and down the wall with each of his powerful thrusts. Lulu was coming apart as her body met each of his thrusts, countering his movements with equal force. She turned her eyes toward the ceiling, as her hands cradled his head against her shoulder and they rode faster, searching for their release.

"Oh, Oh, Dante," Lulu screamed, as she fell first, her orgasm consuming her. She felt Dante grow larger within her, his penis pounding faster, as his breathing became labored.

"Lulu, Oh yes, you feel so good. Oh God, Lulu" he shouted her name once more, releasing his stream within her. Lulu started to come again, as his member ground against the walls of her vagina, the friction stimulating her sensitive nerves and causing her to shout with another release, as she raked her fingers down his back, clutching at him to prolong the pleasure.

A few minutes later, Dante gripped Lulu's bottom with one hand, while she clung to his back, and he shuffled his feet, very nearly falling to the floor as he realized that his feet were trapped within his trousers. Stepping out of his pants, while holding her in his arms, Dante carried her toward the bedroom, still deep within her. He lay her gently against the pillows, peeling his shirt off of him before he once again began thrusting inside her. This time the tempo was much slower as he kissed her, his lips sucking her bottom lip, before breaching her mouth and kissing her more voraciously.

Lulu gripped his shoulders, as he continued to thrust, and they felt the oncoming orgasm. Her breath hitched, taking his tongue deeper into her mouth as he pumped faster and forced another orgasm to rip threw her body. Her scream was silenced by his kiss, as seconds later he found his release and collapsed atop her, moving to the side to ease his weight off of her. He released her legs from his back, laughing as he realized that her red high-heeled shoes still encased her feet.

"I only want you, Lulu. I love you, sweetheart," he told her pulling her into the warmth of his body.

"I love you, too," she told him, emotional as the tears spilled over her lashes and her hands traced his bare chest.

Dante pulled the sheet over them and lay back against the pillows, as Lulu rested her head against his chest. They each closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep, nestled in each others arms. Dante fell asleep content, thinking how perfect his life was, and Lulu dreamed of his incredible lovemaking, interrupted by his over-obsessive new neighbor.

Lulu placed kisses down Dante's chest, loving the rise and fall beneath her hands, as he continued to sleep. She moved slowly, straddling him, as she felt his sex come to full attention beneath her. His heart beat faster beneath her hands and she realized only a few minutes too late that he was awake, as his hands reached to grab her arms, flipping her onto her back beneath him.

"Good Morning," Dante said, spreading her legs and bracing himself on his arms, as the head of his penis rested against her entrance.

"Good Morning," she replied, as he kissed her softly on the lips and breached her folds, sinking into her softness. They rocked slowly, knowing that they had all morning to enjoy each others company. Out of the silence, Dante's cell phone rang, its tone reminiscent of the musical notes from the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Lulu, sighed, realizing how much she truly hated interruptions.

"Leave it," Lulu told him, feeling her nerve endings start to tingle as he pulsated within her.

"It could be important," Dante said, regretfully, as he stopped moving, turning to their sides and pulling out of her. He looked at the caller id and mouthed the one word, that boiled Lulu's blood. Brook Lynn.

"Dante," he said, reluctantly answering the phone, as he pulled Lulu in closer, kissing her on the shoulder.

"Brook Lynn," Dante said, sitting up in bed, as he recognized the alarm in her voice.

"Slow down, what's wrong? Carly? But- What about Michael? Well, I had planned on visiting him this afternoon. Sure, I could go this morning. Tell Carly, it's no trouble.," Dante answered, looking down at a frustrated Lulu.

"I can be there in an hour. It's no problem, I promise," Dante assured her, hanging up and peering down at Lulu,"I'm sorry. It looks like our little session is going to have to be postponed. I need to see Michael," Dante told Lulu, kissing her on the lips.

"Is he ok?" Lulu asked, setting aside her dislike of Brook Lynn to center her worry on Michael.

"I'm sure that he is. Brook Lynn thinks that Carly is probably just over-reacting. But, I think it is best if I go and see for myself," Dante answered, pulling the sheets off of his nude body and walking toward the bathroom.

"I could join you," Lulu suggested, smiling, thinking that they could continue for a few minutes in the shower.

"I wish you could, sweetheart. But, Michael-" Dante told her, shrugging his shoulders, as he turned her down and closed the bathroom door.

"Sure. No problem. Give my best to Michael," Lulu replied to no one's ears but hers. Dante never turned down making love with her, she thought defeated. Secretly, she enjoyed their morning sex, knowing that it gave her the most exhilarating excuse for being late to work.

"Wonderful, guess that I will actually be on time today," Lulu thought, dreading the look on Maxie's face as Lulu came traipsing in on time for once. It was a ribbing that Lulu Spencer was not in the mood for today, as she hopped out of bed, grabbing a robe from a nearby chair and walking toward the kitchen for a cup of coffee.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"What are you doing here?" Maxie asked, stunned as Lulu sat at her desk. Maxie looked at the clock. 8:29am.

"Newsflash, I work here, Maxie," Lulu answered, placing her blueberry muffin and large mocha latte next to her monitor. She hit a few buttons on her keyboard and waited for her computer to come to life. Maxie sat at her desk, silent, just staring at Lulu, as if she was waiting for something.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Lulu asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"I'm waiting. Did the two of you break the world record between last night and this morning?" Maxie said, sarcastically. Lulu was always bragging about how great Dante was in the romance department, but she never went into details about how he was in the sack. Three times in one night? Maxie never had that with Spinelli.

"Maxie, can we just not do this?" Lulu answered, with a look that said she wanted to drop the subject.

"Wait, you don't want to share how great Dante was? Are you feeling all right?" Maxie asked, sliding her chair over to Lulu's desk.

"Is there trouble in the romance department?" Maxie asked, humorously, as she motioned to Lulu with her bent finger.

"Maxie, No. Just leave it alone, ok?" Lulu told her, turning toward her monitor and scanning through the incoming emails.

Junk Mail, Junk Mail, email from Kate, Junk Mail.

Lulu opened the email from Kate Howard, reading its contents. Kate was asking for a document that Lulu had sent her previously. She forwarded the email to Kate, with the attached document and told her to let her know if she needed anything else. Not even a minute after she sent the email, her cell phone rang.

"Kate, good morning," Lulu answered, without a smile, reaching for a sip of her now tepid latte.

"Lulu, what's wrong?" Kate Howard asked, shocked that her assistant was at the office.

"Nothing's wrong. First Maxie, now you, why does everyone assume that something happened?" Lulu replied, sullenly.

"Lulu, honey you are three hours early. On time, but what the hell, Lulu, you are never on time," Kate answered, as she yelled at someone in the background.

"I said the black one! Can't any of you people do anything right."

"Well, I could use some advice Kate-" Lulu started to ask, as Kate Howard interrupted.

"Lulu, I would love to play Mama Bird with you today, but I have a crisis. A shoe crisis," she shouted to someone, "Anyway, call me later. Oh, better yet, send an email. Oh for crying out loud, just give me the white ones," Kate bellowed, disconnecting the call.

"I'm great with advice," Maxie told Lulu, resting her chin on her folded hands.

"Really? Maxie, asking for romantic advice from you, is like asking Spinelli to explain cyberspace to Sonny," Lulu answered, with a hint of sarcasm.

"You're avoiding the subject, Lulu. What did he do? Did he cheat? Oh My God, Brook Lynn?" Maxie exclaimed, "She made a move, didn't she?"

"Maxie, stop. Dante and I are fine. We couldn't be better. Even if Brook Lynn wanted to separate us, she couldn't. Not, that I am saying she is," Lulu told Maxie, emphatically.

"I'm just saying, if it walks and talks like a chicken, it's a chicken. And Lulu, Brook Lynn is a-" Maxie answered, as Lulu interjected.

"Don't say it! Brook Lynn is a good friend, Maxie. I should trust her," Lulu said, trying to sound convincing.

"But, you don't?" Maxie answered, leaning in, more curious than ever, "What happened? Did she make a play for Dante?"

"I'm just over-reacting. I'm reading into something that just isn't there," Lulu replied out loud, more to herself than to Maxie.

"Lulu, if your Ho radar is going off, listen to it!" Maxie insisted, "Maybe I should talk to Spinelli."

"Why? Maxie, what are you up to? Don't do anything crazy? I mean it, Maxie," Lulu declared, worried.

"Lulu, when have I ever let you down?" Maxie told her, pointing her finger at Lulu to silence her, as Lulu started to interject, "Don't answer that. Watch the office for me? I will give you a full report later," Maxie promised, grabbing her purse and hitting the down arrow button on the elevator.

"Oh, Goodie! Then, after you set off WWIII, we can all trek through the nuclear fallout together," Lulu hollered, as Maxie stepped onto the elevator and waved goodbye.

"Crimson," Lulu said, worrisome, as she answered the phones.

Spinelli paced back and forth inside Maxie's apartment, troubled over the news he needed to reveal. He didn't know what to do? Should he leave it alone and let the chips fall where they may, or should he tell Lulu what Carly was up to? He was playing War of Legends with his conscience, good battling evil, as he fought off the evil doers that wanted him to step aside and let Dante take the fall. The good wizards wanted to summon all of their cyber powers to protect Lulu, whether or not that meant throwing the Valkyrie under the bus. Evil was winning, Spinelli thought, conjuring up images of the Valkyrie wielding a mace at him with murderous intent, as Maxie stood by shaking her head in disappointment.  
He stopped pacing upon hearing the door unlock and waited for Maxie to enter, thus sealing his fate.

"Spinelli? What are you doing here? We're we supposed to meet? Never mind, I need your help," she told him, as Spinelli sat down on the couch, with a worried expression.

"Speak to me, My Maximesta. Has someone committed grievous harm to you?" Spinelli told her, concerned.

"Spinelli, we need a plan. Lulu needs us to stop the evil doer. Are you in?" Maxie asked him, as Spinelli sat up straighter, suddenly intrigued.

"What kind of plan? What evil doer?" Spinelli questioned, as he was momentarily distracted.

"Brook Lynn. I want her to topple from the pedestal that she is so fond of," Maxie replied, hating everything that Brook Lynn stood for.

"Wait, before we do anything, Maximesta, I have something to tell you," Spinelli answered, trying to build up the courage to do the right thing.

"It entails a dastardly plan between the Valkyrie and the evil, dark-haired one."

Brook Lynn jumped out of the shower, grinning as an idea hit her. She had seen Dante arrive a few minutes earlier and knew that he was home alone. She tousled her long, dark, wavy tresses and applied bright red lipstick to her lips, ready to put her plan in motion. Operation Seduce Dante was in full swing and she couldn't wait to see Lulu's face when she pulled the rug out from underneath her.

Dante was putting one of his mom's famous casseroles in the oven, when he heard a knock at the door. He set the oven to warm and closed the oven door, turning to see who was at side door. It wasn't Lulu, she would have used the elevator, he thought, as he opened the door. He couldn't believe the image that assailed his eyes.

"Dante? I'm so sorry, I thought that it was Lulu in your loft?" she muttered, trying to sound embarrassed as she stood in only a red towel, barefoot and dripping wet in front of him.

"Brook Lynn?" Dante answered, turning his head down and covering his eyes to avert Brook Lynn's nearly nude form in front of him.

"What are you doing in the hallway in a towel?" he laughed, trying to make light of the situation.

"I ran out of conditioner. I was just coming over to ask Lulu if I could borrow some. Oh My God, I am so embarrassed," Brook Lynn said, standing taller and shifting her balance to one side to show her assets to their best advantage.

"Come inside, Brook Lynn. I'm sure that Lulu has a bottle of conditioner in the shower, I'll get it for you," he said, heading toward the bathroom.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Dante. I have a gig this evening at the Metro Court," she yelled to him from the living room, "Hey, you should come," Brook Lynn suggested, as Dante returned, handing her the conditioner.

"I was planning on having a nice quiet evening at home with Lulu. I went to see Michael and well, it was pretty rough," Dante answered, somberly.

"Do you want to talk about it? I have two great ears," Brook Lynn answered, tugging on them.

"Thanks, but I'd rather not. I"ll let Lulu know that you are singing tonight. But, I can't promise anything," Dante told her, shrugging.

"I know that Lulu will be on board. I'm so excited, Dante. I really want to have someone from Bensonhurst supporting me," Brook Lynn begged.

"I'll see what I can do," Dante said, leading her toward the door. The elevator dinged and came to a full stop as Brook Lynn made her way slowly to the side door.

"Dante, that smells wonderful," Lulu said behind the bag of groceries and flowers.

"Here, let me get that," Dante told her, expecting Brook Lynn to be out the side door by the time he turned around. It wasn't that he felt guilty, it was just an ackward situation that he was hoping he wouldn't have to explain. He was wrong.

"Brook Lynn? Why are you standing in Dante's apartment in nothing but a towel?" Lulu asked, looking angry at Dante and suspiciously at Brook Lynn.

"I was just leaving. Dante, think about it," Brook Lynn said to him, as she turned to Lulu, "Thanks for the conditioner."

Dante leaned against the kitchen counter, feeling like the roadrunner, waiting for the anvil to drop. Lulu stood silently, waiting for Dante's explanation.

"What are you supposed to think about?" Lulu asked, not liking what she just saw.

"I can explain. She just showed up at the door, looking for you."

"In a towel," Lulu answered.

"Lulu, she's like a sister to me," Dante started, as Lulu interrupted him.

"No, it's fine. I trust you completely, Dante," Lulu told him, as Dante's elevator opened once again and an angry Johnny Zacchara walked into Dante's loft.

"Where the hell do you get off trying to undermine my annihilation of Sonny?" Johnny yelled, as Lulu turned away and headed toward the bathroom. Dante waited until Lulu was out of earshot, before laying into Johnny.

"I am not going to sit back and watch you destroy your life along with my mother's," Dante shouted back, "I am going to bring Sonny down, legally."

"Forgive me, Dante, if I don't hold my breath. The Keystone Cops in this town have been trying for years, but yet here he stands, yet again. The man has the luck of the friggin Irish. I want that damn leprechaun sharing a cell with my father," Johnny bellowed.

"I want the same thing. I want to protect my family from him, but not if the price is death," Dante answered.

"Right. Dante needs to save Daddy. Forgive me, if I don't-" Johnny started to say, as Lulu walked into the room several minutes later.

"Don't mind me, boys. I'm just going to Brook Lynn's for my conditioner," Lulu said, dripping wet, in nothing but a towel.

"Wow, Umm, Lulu, I don't know what to say?" Johnny answered, shaking his head, as he tried to dislodge the image in his mind.

" Did you say that Brook Lynn is living next door, across from Dante?" Johnny asked, trying to focus on anything but Lulu's nearly naked body.

"Lulu, what are you doing? You knew that Johnny was here," Dante questioned her, jealous sparks of anger shooting from his eyes, each time Johnny's eyes drifted over Lulu.

"Dante, Johnny's seen me in a towel before. Haven't you, Johnny? It's completely harmless," Lulu answered, standing next to Johnny.

"I don't know what's going on here, but I'm going to leave. Dante, just heed my warning. Stay out of my business with Sonny," Johnny said, heading toward the elevator.

"Lulu, you never cease to amaze me," Johnny smiled, winking, as the elevator closed and Dante's murderous expression disappeared from his sight.

"Lulu Spencer, that was not funny," Dante told her, pulling her into his arms. He couldn't help it, even though he was angry at her at the moment, seeing her in a towel was turning him on, "No one is allowed to see you in a towel, but me."

"Lucky saw me in a towel," Lulu told him, smiling as she realized she had made her point.

"Lucky didn't look you up and down like you were this week's pasta special," Dante told her, grinning, as he realized that he had walked right into Lulu's trap.

"I just wanted you to know how I felt when I walked in, Dante," Lulu explained, sharing her feelings.

"Lulu, Brook Lynn isn't even competition. And, to prove it, you are going to accompany me to her singing gig tonight. I promise to ogle you all night long," Dante laughed, assuring her that she had nothing to worry about.

"Singing at the Metro Court? Your eyes glued to me all night? I guess that I can suffer the agony of your company for a few hours," Lulu answered him, playfully.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Carly is behind Brook Lynn coming to town?" Maxie said, stunned at Spinelli's revelation. She had been suspicious of Brook Lynn from the start, never buying into her lousy singing act, but Carly was the mastermind behind it all. She hadn't seen that one coming. Carly could be a snarky bitch when she wanted to be, but she and Lulu were always like sisters. Maxie was having a hard time believing that she was trying to break up Dante and Lulu.

"Are you sure? Maybe you heard wrong?" Maxie asked Spinelli, thinking that he had just misunderstood.

"Maximesta, the Jackal would not have come to you with this dire news, if he thought it was in the slightest bit false. I heard it with my own ears. The Valkyrie and the evil Dark-Haired One, were planning the obliteration of the Original Blonde One and her Deceitful One," Spinelli answered, having a hard time believing it himself.

"Does Jason know?" Maxie asked, wondering if he was in on the plan. He hated Dante, but was always close to Lulu. She was practically family to him.

"Stone Cold suspects that the Valkyrie is up to no good, setting in motion a plan that he believes will surely backfire. He was most displeased with the Jackal for aiding the Valkyrie in her evil machinations. But, I was honor-bound to serve her Maximesta, she is the mother of the Innocent One. The Deceitful One betrayed him, gaining his trust, and then sending him to prison. It is only logical that she would want to destroy everything that he loves most.

"But, Lulu? I understand Carly wanting revenge against Dante, but why Lulu?" Maxie questioned, trying to figure out Carly's motives for wanting to destroy Lulu.

"You have it wrong, Maximesta. The Valkyrie does not want to destroy Lulu. In fact, she is merely trying to protect the Original Blonde One from the deceptive motives of the Deceitful One. The Dark-Haired One is merely a means to an end, to thwart his untruthful nature."

"Oh, Spinelli, can't you see that she is using you to further her plan? I knew that she forgave Dante and Lulu too quickly. Carly never forgives, especially when it involves her family. This is going to devastate Lulu," Maxie replied, pacing back and forth, as she deliberated on the appropriate plan of action to take.

"But, the Valkyrie was protecting fair Lulu. The Deceitful One does not love her. He used her to help bring down Mr. Sir's organization. If he was so deceptive and devious to infiltrate the family, gain their trust and then betray them, wouldn't it be logical that he could lie so deceitfully to the Original Blonde one?"

"I don't believe it. Lulu loves him, more than any of her past relationships. She proved that by keeping his secret when he was undercover and standing by him when everyone in this town was against him," Maxie said, knowing that no matter the outcome Lulu would be hurt.

"I don't doubt that the Original Blonde One loves the Deceitful One, but Maximesta, how can you be so sure that he loves her in return?" Spinelli asked, in disbelief.

"Spinelli, you didn't see his face when Franco kidnapped her, when he realized that she didn't just walk out of Crimson, or refuse to return his phone calls. I saw the frantic look in his eyes and the worry etched across his face. Do you know that Lucky told me that he was willing to blow his cover if that meant bringing her back safe? Does that sound like the actions of someone who is playing her?" Maxie told him, trying to convince him.

"If what you say is true, Maximesta, then the plan in motion is most erroneous indeed. The Valkyrie is most diabolical when she sets her mind to something, how do you suppose we will stop her evil plan," Spinelli questioned, worried that he had led the Original Blonde One down a path of irreparable anguish.

"But, Maximesta, I could never be part of a plan that would cause harm to the Valkyrie. She is dear to both me and Stone Cold, no matter what diabolical plan she set in motion. Her heart is wounded by the Innocent One's incarceration and so she shouldn't be held accountable for her actions."

"Fine. So, we take down Brook Lynn instead," Maxie said, thinking that Carly would get hers in the end. Her plans always backfired and this one proved to be the biggest blunder of all of her nefarious plots.

"But, how will we do that?" Spinelli asked, curiously.

"We beat her at her own game, Spinelli," Maxie answered, grinning mischievously, as a thought came to her mind.

"Here's what we will do-" she told Spinelli, leaning in, as she shared her revenge plot with him.

…...

"Do you really feel threatened by Brooke Lynn?" Dante asked Lulu, in disbelief. He thought that she knew beyond any shadow of doubt, just how much he loved her.

"I'm not doubting your love for me, Dante? I believe in you...in us," she told him, truthfully.

"Then, why can't you believe me when I tell you that Brook Lynn is not nothing more than a sister to me," Dante answered, attempting to be persuasive.

"To you, Dante. But, believe me Dante, Brook Lynn in nothing but a towel? Nothing about that was remotely in the act of a sister. Conditioner, Dante? Seriously, did you really buy that she wanted to borrow my conditioner?"

"Lulu, I just think that you are reading into something that isn't there. What I think is that you are worried that Brook Lynn is going to take time away from us," Dante told her, trying to understand Lulu's feelings about Brook Lynn.

"Dante, trust me, as a woman, I know when someone is trying to move in on my man. I didn't like to share when I was little and I am damn well not going to share you with Brook Lynn," Lulu said, adamantly.

"Can we agree to disagree? I love you, baby. But, Brook Lynn is my friend. I just don't see her doing what you say is. But, it doesn't really matter, Lulu, because even if she was trying to seduce me, she couldn't. There isn't an inch of me that is remotely interested in her, Lulu," Dante said, seductively, laying on the charm, "Whereas, with you, Lulu, there isn't an inch of me that isn't interested in you," he grinned, realizing that she could turn him on with just a look.

"So, what do you say, will you go hear Brook Lynn sing with me? I promise to me really good afterwards," he said, trailing kisses down her neck.

"On one condition?" Lulu asked him, her eyes raking him over.

"Name it," Dante answered, knowing that he would do whatever she asked.

"Wash my back," Lulu told him, pulling him toward the shower.

"I'll wash whatever you want, baby," Dante grinned, grabbing Lulu and lifting her into his arms. He carried her into the bathroom toward the shower and proceeded to show her exactly how much he loved and wanted her.

…...

"So, explain to me why we are here again," Lulu asked Dante, as they sat at the bar in the Metro Court Lounge.

"We are here to support Brook Lynn," Dante told her, kissing her on the lips, and drawing her into his arms.

"Correction, you are here to hear her sing. Me, I'm just along for the ride," Lulu replied, feeling the boredom set in.

"I thought that you liked her voice, was I wrong?" Dante questioned, as his arms stroked up and down her arms.

"Songs from The Wizard of Oz, just aren't my cup of tea," Lulu answered, dreading the upcoming performance.

"That's right, you're into Justin Timberlake and the boy bands," Dante replied, teasing her, as Lulu sent him a murderous look.

"Bite your words, Dante Falconeri. I am Spencer. We pride ourselves on our musical influences."

"So, if you were going to sing for me, what would be your song choice?" Dante asked her, grinning, as Maxie walked into the Metro Court Lounge.

"Hm, that's a good question. I'll have to think about it," Lulu informed him, laughing.

"Besides, you don't need to worry about that, because there is no way that I would ever sing here," Lulu answered, as Maxie walked up next to her.

"Why not? You were great when we sang the Pussycat Dolls' song?" Maxie told her, interrupting their conversation.

"That was in a group, Maxie. I can't sing alone, stage fright remember?" Lulu hinted, annoyed that Maxie was even suggesting it.

"A Spencer with stage fright? I don't buy it, Lulu. Besides, when I was working for Sonny, Max went on and on about how fantastic you guys were. He said that is was fire department hot. I'm just sorry that I missed it, Dante told her, grinning, "But, you could make it up to me by singing for me."

"That's not going to happen, Dante," Lulu answered, knowing that it would be a cold day in hell before Carly Jax would let her sing in her lounge. While Carly was Lulu's cousin and a Spencer, her idea of music was drastically different from Lulu's.

"We'll see," Maxie replied, as Lulu looked at her suspiciously.

"So, no Spinelli tonight?" Dante asked Maxie, as a waitress brought him two Bismark beers. He handed one to Lulu and then directed his gazed to once again to Maxie.

"He's here. Any minute now, my Jackal will appear," Maxie answered, as Brook Lynn walked over to the bar. She set an aluminum sports bottle on the counter and then rushed over to hug Dante and Lulu.

"Dante, I am SO GLAD that you came," Brook Lynn told him, hugging him for far too long in Lulu's opinion.

"I came," Lulu told her, pulling Brook Lynn away from Dante, unaware that Spinelli had entered the Metro Court and now stood at the bar.

"Of course you did," Brook Lynn replied, embracing Lulu tightly, "Thank you so much, Lulu."

Spinelli and Maxie exchanged looks, behind Brook Lynn's back, as Maxie tried to divert her attention away from the bar, so that Maxie could further her little plot for the evening.

"So, Brook Lynn, what were you planning on singing for us tonight? Let me guess, a song from Wizard of Oz," Maxie asked, sarcastically.

"Whatever you choose, I'm sure that you will sing it beautifully," Dante reassured Brook Lynn, noticing the tension between the girls.

"Wish me luck," Brook Lynn said, as she grabbed the bottle from the bar and headed backstage. Maxie looked to Spinelli, who in turn gave her a very nervous thumbs up, as Carly came their way.

"Lulu, Dante, what a surprise? Are you here to support Brook Lynn on her big night? Dante you must be SO proud?" Carly told him, laying on the charm.

"Proud as a big brother cheering on his baby sister," Dante answered, pulling Lulu in closer, as he kissed her on the lips.

"Good answer," Lulu whispered, smiling.

"Spinelli, could I see you for a minute," Maxie asked, dragging him away from Carly's watchful eyes and all of their ears.

"I don't get it, Maxie. Why not tell them now? Why all of the subterfuge, and why did you have me spike Brook Lynn's bottle. What was in that mixture you gave me anyway? It won't harm her, will it?" Spinelli questioned, worried that Carly was going to discover his treachery.

"Permanently, no, Spinelli. But, it will be effective enough to stall her plans, so that mine can move forward full-speed ahead."

Brook Lynn returned, her hand stroking her throat, as Carly looked on worried.

"Is something wrong, Brook Lynn?" Carly asked, wanting Lulu to squirm, as Dante was completely enthralled with Brook Lynn on the stage.

"I don't know. I always hum a few bars before I go on stage and drink some water to help my vocal cords relax, but my voice is a bit scratchy. I'm sure that it will be fine," she said, nervously as her voice started to crack.

"Brook Lynn, you sound horrible. Are you coming down with a cold, or something?" Maxie asked, trying to sound concerned.

"I don't get colds, Maxie. And, I am extremely careful with my voice. I don't understand, I was fine earlier. It wasn't until after I drank my water that I noticed a change in my voice."

"Your water bottle? Did you set it down?" Maxie asked her, as Brook Lynn peered inside and cringed at the contents.

"What the hell? Who spiked my bottle?" Brook Lynn said, looking at Lulu accusingly.

"Don't look at me? I didn't touch the bottle," Lulu answered, truthfully.

"Spiked it, but with what?" Spinelli asked, as Maxie grinned behind Brook Lynn's back.

"Milk, who put milk in my bottle?"

"Milk? Why would someone spike your bottle with milk?" Lulu questioned, confused.

"Milk coats your vocal cords, Lulu. I wouldn't expect you to understand. You can't sing," Brook Lynn told her, her voice deteriorating further.

"Now, hold on, Brook Lynn. If you are saying that Lulu put something in your drink, it didn't happen," Dante told her, trusting that Lulu would never stoop to that level.

"Brook Lynn, if you can't sing you need to tell me?" Carly asked, looking behind her at the packed lounge. She had milked this gig for all it was worth, both for her revenge plot against Dante, but also financially, knowing that a lounge act would bring in extra money for the hotel.

"I'm sorry, Carly. What are we going to do?" Brook Lynn asked, realizing that she wouldn't be able to sing tonight.

"Come with me," Carly told Brook Lynn, practically pulling her toward the other end of the lounge.

"What seems to be the problem?" Jax asked, wondering why Brook Lynn wasn't on stage yet.

"She can't sing," Maxie told him, pulling her finger across her throat, "No voice."

"But, we promoted this event? What am I supposed to tell the guests?" Jax asked, knowing that they needed this gig to promote the hotel.

"Tell them that you have a new act and that it will be just a few minutes more," Maxie told him, grabbing Lulu by the arm.

"New act. What new act, Maxie?" Jax questioned, as Maxie shouted back to him.

"Do you still have that karaoke machine? I need it," Maxie told him, as Lulu's expression turned to anguish.

"No. I am not doing this Maxie," Lulu answered, as she was dragged by Maxie toward the woman's restroom.

"Karaoke machine?" Jax replied, anxiously, this isn't Jake's. He did however, have a house band that was on standby. Brook Lynn was going to sing without them, but he didn't think that they would mind sitting in for the new act. He just wished that he knew what type of music to prepare them for.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies. There has been a slight change in plans," Jax told them, as Carly looked on with a mutinous glare, "our original act has come down with an unfortunate illness and cannot sing for you tonight. But, we do promise that she will return another night to serenade you with her talent. However, we would never leave you empty-handed in our hotel, so we have a special treat for you. Something quite unexpected, I am sure." Jax told them, not quite sure who was going to sing, or what the song choice would be, "So, hang tight, this round's on me."

…...

"What? That makes no sense at all, Maxie. Carly would never betray me like that, we are like sisters," Lulu said, flabbergasted at Maxie's news.

"I know that this is going to take awhile to set in, but the fact is Lulu, we don't have that much time. Do you want to bring down the bitch that is after your man, or not?" Maxie, told her, holding a pair of black leather boots in her hands.

"I want to rip her freaking hair out!" Lulu answered, grabbing the boots and pulling them on. The boots in combination with the red off-the-shoulder dress, were a striking addition, giving her a bit of rocker flare to her look. Maxie reached into her bag, pulling out a blue hair extension and clipped it to the left side of Lulu's blonde hair.

"I can't do this, Maxie," Lulu told her, feeling her stomach start to flip, "I wasn't kidding when I said that I get stage fright."

"But, you sang perfectly at Jake's?" Maxie informed her, not understanding what the problem was.

"I wasn't singing alone, Maxie. I wasn't singing to Dante," Lulu told her, nervously.

"That's what this is about? Your worried about flubbing a few lines, or singing off-key to Dante?" Maxie questioned, rolling her eyes.

"Fine, let her win. You get to keep your nerves intact and Brook Lynn gets Dante," Maxie answered, as Lulu stood next to her, with eyes blazing.

"Over my dead body," Lulu replied, taking a deep breath, as Maxie led her toward the lounge.

"That's the Spencer, I like to see. Knock em dead," Maxie said, pushing Lulu toward the stage.

Dante stood at the bar, his eyes widening, as he realized that Lulu was going to sing. His face lit up with an incredible smile, that eased her tension, as she looked at him.

"Do you know-" she whispered to the band, as they smiled and nodded in unison.

"I know that you were expecting a nice, quiet, ballad, but us Spencers like to liven things up. This is a song from my favorite decade and artist. Hit it, boys," Lulu said, turning to the band, as she let the beat move her and the music transform her into Pat Benatar.

_Your love is like a tidal wave, spinning over my head,_Lulu sang to Dante, moving her shoulder and hips to the music_. _

_Drownin' me in your promises, better left unsaid, You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy__, _she sang, pointing her finger at Dante.

_The invincible winner, and you know that you were born to be- You're a Heartbraker, _Lulu sang, walking toward Dante and singing directly to him.

_Dream Maker, Love Taker, _

_Don't you mess around with me!_

_You're a Heartbraker_

_Dream Maker, Love Taker_

_Don't you mess around- No, No, No_, Lulu sang, directing her gaze at Brook Lynn.

"Do you think that was meant for you, Brook Lynn?" Maxie whispered, as an annoyed Brook Lynn stood next to the bar, forced to endure Dante's lack of attention and Lulu's lounge act.

"I mean, I wouldn't mess around with a Spencer," Maxie told her, sounding all doom and gloom.

_You're love has set my soul on fire, burnin' out of control_

Lulu sang, running her hands down the front of Dante's chest.

_You taught me the ways of desire, now its takin' its toll, _

_You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy, _

_The invincible winner, and you know that you were born to be_

_You're a Heartbreaker_

_Dream Maker, Love Taker_

_Don't you mess around with me! _

Lulu sang to Dante, playfully pushing him away with her hands.

_You're a Heartbreaker, _

_Dream Maker, Love Taker, _

_Don't you mess around-No, No, No! _

Lulu sang, jumping to the beat of the music, as she prepared for the final chorus.

_You're the right kind of sinner, to release my inner fantasy_

_The invincible winner, and you know that you were born to be_

_You're a Heartbreaker_

_Dream Maker, Love Taker_

_Don't you mess around with me!_

_You're a Heartbreaker_

_Dream Maker, Love Taker_

_Don't you mess around with me!_

_You're a Heartbreaker_

_Dream Maker, Love Taker_

_Heartbreaker!_

Lulu finished, head-banging to the music stylings of Pat Benatar, as a stunned Dante stood in awe, smiling from ear to ear.

When the music came to a stop, everyone sounded off with applause and Dante put his fingers to his mouth whistling his approval. Brook Lynn looked like she had ingested something that made her ill and Lulu smiled, loving that she was having an adverse effect on her.

"Lulu, that was fantastic!" Jax told her, hugging her and secretly thanking her for saving the lounge act.

"Yes, thanks, Lulu," Carly told her, plastering on a fake smile, "Brook Lynn owes you one."

"Lulu, that was freakin' amazing!" Dante told her, pulling her into his arms, "I knew that you would be good, but Lulu you blew my mind. That was so hot!" Dante said, with eyes trailing over her black leather boots that encased her legs.

"Thanks," she answered, kissing him, "Now, don't ever say that I like boy bands again."

"Never. You're a rock star. My Lady Hendrix," Dante replied, grinning proudly, as he pulled her in close.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Lulu, did I tell you how freaking amazing you were tonight?" Dante told her, grinning as the elevator came to a stop and he opened the cage.

"Numerous times now," Lulu laughed walking into the loft, as Dante followed after her.

"I can't help it. You were that good," Dante said, nuzzling her neck with his nose.

"Dante, we need to talk," Lulu said, pushing him away and leading him to the couch, as her tone became serious.

"Lulu, what is it?" Dante asked, hearing the trepidation in her voice.

"It's about Brook Lynn," Lulu informed him, "I know that she is your friend, but someone told me something tonight that made me believe that she may not have our best interest at heart," Lulu said, as her legs were turned, facing his.

"Lulu, we've been through this. Brook Lynn is no threat to you," he answered, putting a slight distance between them, as his legs turned away from hers.

"I don't know how else to make you believe it. I have zero interest in her and believe me, the feeling is mutual," he said, frustrated that she was bringing up the subject of Brook Lynn again. This whole situation was causing an uneasiness in him, friction that he just didn't know how to deal with. Lulu was his girlfriend, but Brook Lynn was family.

"What if you're wrong, Dante? I've seen how she looks at you. Then, there was the apartment incident and the towel," Lulu replied, shaking her head, "I don't trust her."

"Lulu, this is all ridiculous. Brook Lynn is not trying to separate us. Why can't you see that?" Dante exclaimed, as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Because it's the truth. Do you want to know why she is in town, Dante? Carly paid her. She is giving her money if she gets you to sleep with her," Lulu told him, as Dante's eyes widened in disbelief.

"That is the craziest thing that I have ever heard," Dante said, raising his voice, "Do you even hear yourself, Lulu? Brook Lynn is family. She would never hurt me and she certainly wouldn't take money to try to seduce me."

"She is. I heard it tonight. I didn't want to believe that she would do it, but it all makes sense now. From the moment that she arrived, she has found a way to make her way into your building, into your loft. What's to stop her from making her way into your bed?"

"This is your jealousy talking, Lulu, and it needs to stop. This is getting way out of hand," Dante replied, in an accusatory tone.

"I need to stop? Dante, if you don't open your eyes, Brook Lynn wins."

"This is Maxie, isn't it? I knew something was off tonight when Brook Lynn suddenly couldn't sing. I

just can't believe that you were in on it," Dante answered, disappointed.

"Maxie told me the truth, Dante. You just refuse to believe me," Lulu answered, not even bothering to defend herself against his accusation about Lulu being in on Brook Lynn's sudden ailment. If he didn't trust her, it didn't matter.

"I believe you when you say that you would never cheat on me, but it doesn't matter if you don't see her for who she is," Lulu told him, upset that he couldn't understand or believe in her.

"Lulu, I already told you that there is no competition between you and Brook Lynn. This is Maxie stirring up trouble. She didn't like Brook Lynn from the moment that she saw her at Jake's. Now, I don't know why and frankly I don't care, but her hatred of Brook Lynn is rubbing off on you and you can't even see it," Dante told her, hurt that Lulu didn't trust him.

"The truth of the matter, Dante, is that your taking Brook Lynn's side over mine. I'm your girlfriend, Dante. I have risked everything to be with you. I kept your secret when you were undercover. I never gave up on you, no matter how many times you pushed me away. You told me that you loved me and then you ran out on me, Dante. But, I never stopped believing in you. I sat by your bedside, praying that you would live, when your father put a bullet in your chest. I stood by you when you chose not to tell the police that Sonny was responsible."

"I betrayed Carly and Jason when I didn't tell them about Michael and his whereabouts. I did all of it not solely because I loved you Dante, but because I believed in you. I knew that deep down inside, you were doing what you felt was morally right. So, I supported you. No questions asked."

"I did that, not Brook Lynn," Lulu informed him, crying as she pointed her finger at her chest and grabbed her purse.

"Where are you going?" Dante questioned her, frustrated that they were fighting and mad as hell that she planned to just walk out.

"You just admitted that you don't believe me. That my feelings about Brook Lynn don't matter, Dante," Lulu accused, "Do you really think that I want to spend the rest of the night hearing about how great Brook Lynn is, Dante?"

"I never said that your feelings don't matter, Lulu. You know how I feel about you. But, what I won't stand for is you becoming irrational about Brook Lynn, because of an issue that Maxie has with her," Dante shouted, angry at Maxie and irritated as hell that he wasn't making himself understood to Lulu.

"I love you, Dante. But, I don't really like you right this instant. So, I'm going to leave. I need to think about what this means," Lulu told him, her emotions threatening to tear her apart, as she pushed the button for the elevator.

"What the hell are you talking about, Lulu? Are you saying that unless I push Brook Lynn away, you are calling it quits? I won't choose between my friends and you, Lulu. I would never do that to you. And for the record, when I ran from you before it was because I thought that I was protecting you. Who's running now, Lulu? You have been trying to find ways to keep us apart from the start. I just thought that we had moved on from this. That we were stronger than this. But, you are just so damn stubborn," he yelled, upset that she wouldn't hear him.

"I can't do this right now, Dante. I just need some time-" she answered, as Dante interjected.

"Time, for what, Lulu? Are you giving up on us?" Dante whispered, emotionally, in disbelief over how this night was ending.

"I'm not giving up on us, Dante! You are doing that all by yourself. You are letting her come between us." Lulu shouted, angry that he was suggesting what she knew to be true. Brook Lynn had already planted the seeds that would grow and pull them apart, Dante just couldn't see it yet.

"I'm not the one walking out, Lulu! I'm not the one who is letting her insecurities tear us apart," Dante yelled in return, reaching for her, as she opened the cage and turned to go.

"I have to go, Dante. Please let me go," Lulu whispered, as the tears streamed down her face.

"I can't. I won't. I need you to stay, Lulu," Dante told her, resting his forehead against hers.

"Are you willing to keep distance between you and Brook Lynn?" Lulu asked, softly, already knowing the answer.

"I can't, Lulu. I love you, but I won't let you tell me who I can call my friend. Don't you see what you are doing? You are letting your fear take over, Lulu. You are turning into your father. Luke leaves when things get too rough, right? He runs, Lulu. Just like you are doing now," Dante said, shaking his head in disbelief, as his eyes brimmed with tears.

"That's not what I am doing, Dante. I love you. But, I don't know what else to do. You won't believe me, Dante. Where do we go from that?" Lulu asked, stepping into the elevator.

"Stay with me, Lulu," Dante begged, as Lulu glimpsed the pain in his eyes.

She remembered so clearly, the first time he had asked her that. It was the night they made love for the first time. It was romantic and something that she would never forget. But, she couldn't give him the same response this time. No matter how much her heart ached for her to do so.

"I can't. I'm sorry, Dante. I love you, but I can't," she said, choked from the emotions that were pouring from her body. She closed the cage, Dante's crushed expression, disappearing from her view, as she slumped to the floor and cried until it seemed there were no tears left to shed. Wiping the moisture from her face, she pressed her speed dial and waited for the caller on the other end to answer.

"I need to see you. Can I come over?" Lulu pleaded, afraid that after tonight she had truly lost Dante. What if he was right? What if Maxie was transferring her distrust of Brook Lynn onto Lulu? What if Lulu had let her fear of losing him to another woman, override her common sense? She needed answers and hoped that Carly would give them to her.

"Honey, of course. My door is always open to you," Carly replied, smiling, "Is everything ok?"

"No, I just walked out on Dante, Carly. I think that I just made the biggest mistake of my life and I could really use my family right now," Lulu cried, heartbroken that she had actually believed Maxie when she said that Carly had turned against her.

"Carly, you really did forgive me, right? I couldn't take it if I thought that I had lost you. We're practically sisters and I need your advice," Lulu asked, sobbing.

"Lulu, of course I forgave you," Carly lied, letting Lulu's wounds fester, "But, honey, if you left him and he didn't follow you, what does that say about how he truly feels about you."

"Dante loves me," Lulu told Carly, as she stepped into the cab and gave the driver Carly's address.

"I know that you believe that, Lulu. I just don't understand why he didn't fight harder. I mean, if he wanted you to stay, why are you coming to see me?" Carly questioned, knowing that her words would plant doubt in Lulu's mind.

"I don't know. Maybe it's my fault. I should have been more understanding. I put pressure on him," Lulu replied, as her heart was breaking.

"Lulu, stop it right now. None of this is your fault. It's Brook Lynn's. And Dante's, whether you want to believe it, or not. He chose Brook Lynn over you, Lulu. Brook Lynn? I mean, I saw the signs, but I never thought that he-" Carly told Lulu, nefariously.

"What signs?" Lulu asked, listening intently to Carly's words.

"I shouldn't-" Carly answered, fabricating the tale that would put the final nail in Dante's coffin.

"No, if you have something to say about Dante and Brook Lynn, I want to know," Lulu told Carly, fearing that her suspicions about Brook Lynn were going to be proven true.

"I will explain everything when you get here," Carly told her, disconnecting the call with Lulu.

Grinning ear to ear, Carly smiled, thrilled that finally one of her plans was coming to fruition. Carly placed another call, this time to Brook Lynn.

"The money is as good as yours," Carly told her, "Lulu just walked out. I suggest that you make your move and help your poor, desolate neighbor."

"But, I don't understand, Carly. They were fine when I saw them earlier. If she walked out like you said she did, Dante will be suspicious if I stop in tonight. No, I need to wait a few days. See what happens," Brook Lynn answered, feeling horrible that Dante was in pain.

"You better not be having second thoughts, Brook Lynn? I am so close to nailing that bastard. If you think that I am going to let you ruin my plans now, Brookie, you got another thing coming. You do not want to double-cross me!" Carly warned her.

"Believe me, Carly, I am well aware of your venomous streak. I'll get Dante to sleep with me and I'll even courier you the photo to prove it."

"Just make sure it is a close-up. I don't want any doubt in Lulu's mind, who is laying in bed next to you," Carly demanded, disconnecting the call, as she heard a knock on the door.

"Oh, honey. I am so sorry," she told Lulu, as she summoned the tears, making Lulu believe that she was emotionally invested in her and Dante.

"I just love him so much, Carly. What am I going to do?" Lulu sobbed, as Carly pulled her into her arms, hugging her.

"I'm here for you, sweetie. No matter what," Carly answered, smiling deviously behind Lulu's back.

…...

Dante paced back and forth in his loft, his anguish eating at his insides, as he waited for her to pick-up the phone.

"Lulu, it's Dante. I'm worried about you. Please call me," he answered, leaving a message. He punched in another number and waited for Maxie Jones to answer.

"Maxie Jones, you know what to do?" the voice mail told him just before the beep.

"Maxie, it's Dante. I need you to come over ASAP. We need to talk," Dante ordered, still stunned by tonight's events.

Thirty minutes later, Dante's elevator started making noises, alerting him to someone's arrival. He hoped that it was Lulu, but since she hadn't returned his call, he wasn't holding out much hope.

The elevator opened and Maxie opened the cage, entering Dante's apartment, followed by Spinelli.

"What the hell did you do to Lulu?" Maxie shouted, as Spinelli looked at Dante with fury.

"I knew that the Valkyrie was correct in her assumptions of you, Deceitful One," Spinelli accused.

"The both of you start talking, I want answers. Did Brook Lynn receive money to break Lulu and I apart?" Dante asked, afraid that the answer wasn't one that he wanted to hear.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Lulu, honey, I told you that this would happen. It was only a matter of time," Carly said, embracing her.

Lulu wrapped her arms around Carly, as tears streamed down her face and she contemplated how this would play out.

"I'm so sorry, Carly. I should have listened to you. You were right. When Maxie told me that Brook Lynn was hired to come between me and Dante, well, I just couldn't believe it. I mean, who would do such a thing, Carly? It is just so cruel and heartless. After everything that I have been through, is it so wrong for me to have one minute of happiness? He saved my life, more than once, Carly. Did I ever tell you that he was willing to give up everything when Franco kidnapped me? His vendetta against Sonny, all of it, just to bring me home safe," Lulu told Carly, wringing her hands.

"During the trial, Dante struggled so much with the right thing to do about Michael. He was under so much pressure, Carly. You and Sonny didn't help matters, you were so bitter and angry when Michael was sent to prison. It was an absolute miracle when you forgave Dante, when you forgave me."

"Well, I knew that it wasn't Dante's fault. It was Sonny's. But, why do you think that someone hired Brook Lynn to come to town?" Carly asked, nearly choking on her words.

"It doesn't matter how I found out. I'm just so thankful that it wasn't you, Carly. You could have held a grudge. I know you, Carly. You become a barracuda when it comes to your family. You could have wanted to destroy Dante for what he did. What made you change your mind? How did you find it in you to forgive him?" Lulu questioned, wanting to rip out Carly's lying tongue.

"I don't know. I guess that I just trusted you. You said that he believed what he was doing was right. Lulu, you are like a sister to me, we share the same Spencer blood. We're family, Lulu. Don't you know what I would do to protect my family?" Carly answered, running her hand through a few strands of Lulu's hair.

"Your family?" Lulu exclaimed, as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "Which one Carly? Because last time I checked family doesn't hire tramps from Bensonhurst to sleep with their cousin's boyfriend!" Lulu shouted, as Carly looked on stunned.

"Lulu, I don't know what you are talking about? Who told you this? Dante?" Carly asked her, shaking her head in mock-confusion.

"That's right, Carly. Blame everything on Dante. It's so convenient for you, isn't it? You slept with Sonny and AJ and got knocked up, then you skipped town and left Michael with Jason. Who is to blame, Carly? You introduced Michael to the mob world, you dropped him off at the kingpin's lieutenant's doorstep and you want the world to feel sorry for you. You kept AJ and the Quartermaines away from Michael. You turned him against his biological father. You did that Carly. Not Sonny, not Jason and sure as hell not Dante.," Lulu accused, shooting daggers at Carly were her eyes full of anger.

"You snotty little twit! Of course, I did whatever I could to destroy the both of you. I stood by you. I listened to you go on and on about how you felt bad for selfishly wanting Dillon for yourself, for having an abortion. I was there for you when I found out what you did to Logan Hayes and when you had a mental breakdown. Me, Lulu. And, how did you repay me. You spent months lying to my face about who Dante was, you helped him gain the trust of Morgan and Jason. But, the biggest deceit of all was when you let him kidnap my son, Lulu. I begged you to tell me where he was and you refused. You helped him send Michael to prison, you selfish bitch. Why? Because you didn't want to give up your mind-blowing sex. Well, I hope that every night you spread your legs for Dante, Michael's face in a prison cell, appeared to you!"

"I didn't lie to you! I didn't know where Michael was. He took off and Dante was looking for him. I told you the truth, Carly. But, you," Lulu accused, pointing her finger at Carly.

"Carly, you hired Brook Lynn to tear Dante and I apart. You pretended to forgive him. He felt truly guilty for what happened. He has spent the entire time since they took Michael away, making calls and using his connections to get Michael out. What have you done Carly? Who have you called, while you have plotted your revenge against us? That's right, no one. It's not your fault. Everyone else is to blame. Woe is me! I'm Carly, the self-riotous bitch who can do no wrong!" Lulu shouted, as Carly slapped her soundly against her face.

Lulu stood stunned, holding her hand to the spot where Carly had slapped her, the skin now turning pink. Lulu's chest started to pound, as she realized what Carly had just confessed. Until, this moment, there was the tiniest shadow of doubt in Lulu's mind, that Carly could do something so vindictive to her own family. But, hate had a way of changing people.

"Are you happy, Carly? You just ruined the best relationship that I have ever had. You destroyed a friendship. You have broken my trust, my faith and my heart, Carly. I can't ever look at you the same," Lulu told her, as the tears streamed down her face.

"Please, it's just sex, Lulu. Someone else will come along. They always do," Carly answered, vindictively.

"I wasn't talking about, Dante. Carly, I was referring to you," Lulu replied, as she turned and exited Carly's house, slamming the door in Carly's face.

…...

"And that is why we spiked Brook Lynn's drink at the Metro Court. My Maximesta wanted to thwart the evil-doer's plot to ensnare you," Spinelli told Dante, still harboring ill feelings for the Deceitful One.

Dante sat on the couch, his head in his hands, as Spinelli told him Carly's nefarious plot. He couldn't believe it. Not, the part about Carly, because he should have seen that coming from a mile away. She could be that conniving and deceitful. But, Brook Lynn? They grew up together, their families had dinner every Friday night, he taught her how to play stick ball, he beat up the bullies that harrassed her in middle school. He just couldn't wrap his head around the idea that she could be so heartless. That she would be willing to not only seduce him, but actually take money for it. If what Spinelli was saying was true, she had been lying since the first day she arrived in Port Charles.

"Now, do you believe me?" Maxie asked, still angry that he hadn't given Lulu the benefit of the doubt.

"I need to make a phone call," Dante told them, walking into the bedroom, as Maxie responded behind him.

"You are such an ass, Dante. I hope that Lulu makes you grovel within an inch of your life."

"Grandma, it's Dante. I know. I'm sorry. Olivia- I should have known. No, it wasn't a secret. Yes, I promise to bring her to Bensonhurst. When? Well, just as soon as she starts speaking to me. Look, I called because I need a favor. Do you still have Ned Ashton's phone number?" Dante asked, holding the cell phone away from his ear, as his grandmother voiced her opinion on her daughter's ex-husband.

"Thanks, Grandma, I love you, too. Yes, I will. Soon. Bye, Grandma," Dante answered, disconnecting the call. He walked back into the living area and proceeded to explain his plan to Maxie and Spinelli.

"So, what do you think?" Dante asked, wanting to put this plan into motion the sooner the better. He was worried that the longer Lulu was away from him, the more likely it was that Carly would convince her to stay away.

"It's a long shot, but it could work. Are you certain that you can get her to slip up?" Maxie asked him, worried that this could backfire.

"I'm positive. She used my friendship with her to hurt Lulu, Maxie. She preyed on Lulu's insecurities. I let her. I was completely blind to her motives. I thought she was family. Yes, I will make her admit what she did," Dante promised, his words heated.

"So, when do we get started," Maxie asked, looking at Spinelli for the answer.

"Now, is as good a time as any," Dante answered, picking up the phone.

"Wait, before we get started, I have a confession to make," Spinelli told them, dreading their reactions.

"I was the one that found out that you were an undercover cop, Dante. I told Jason and Mr. Sir. I'm the reason that your cover was blown and that you were shot. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I can see how wrong I was about you and how much you love Lulu," Spinelli said, hoping for forgiveness.

"I figured as much. It's water under the bridge, Spinelli. But, it wasn't your fault. You didn't pull the trigger," Dante told him, placing his hand on his shoulder, reassuring Spinelli that all was forgiven.

"Ok. Then, let's get a move on. We only have a short span of time, if this is going to work. The evil doer will never know what hit her," Spinelli grinned.

…...

Lulu sat on her favorite bench on the pier and looked out at the water. Normally, this would calm her an d chase away everything that was wrong in her life. But, not today. She stared at the water, wishing that she was anywhere but here, wishing that she could turn back the clock and erase the last week. Her cell phone vibrated alerting her to a new voice mail message, she looked down at her phone and saw that it was from Dante. It was the third message in the last few hours. He had sent half a dozen daily since she had left and she hadn't answered any of them. But, still he didn't give up. She listened to every one of his voice mails, her heart aching at the sound of his voice. She wanted so much to call him, to tell him that she loved him, that she was an idiot and that she wanted to come home. She was making herself sick, throwing up every morning, as she wondered what he was doing. She hadn't seen Brook Lynn since that night at the Metro Court, but then she had pretty much avoided anything that had to do with Carly or Brook Lynn. She had been holed up at Spoon Island, Nicholas was somewhere in Greece and Lucky was off chasing after her father and Tracy. Alfred had let her in, noticing how upset she was and bringing her a hot cup of tea. She had cried herself to sleep that first night, but he hadn't said anything and every night since, he had the cook make her favorite dishes and bring her fresh-cut wildflowers.

As she sat on the pier, staring out at Spoon Island, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed the speed dial and waited for him to answer, as another wave of nausea hit her and she clenched her stomach, willing it to go away.

"Dante, it's Lulu. I just wanted to let you know that I'm all right. I can't tell you where I am right now, but just know that I love you. I do. It's taken me the last few days to realize just how much. I miss you. I want you to-" Lulu started to say, as another wave of nausea hit her, this one accompanied by a shot of pain that ripped through her. She cried out, clutching her abdomen, as she felt the dizziness overcome her and dropped her phone. She heard someone rushing toward her and taking her into his arms.

"Lulu, what's wrong. Lulu," she heard a familiar voice shout, as he gathered her into his arms, "I've got you," he said, running toward the nearest taxi.

"Dante?" she cried out, as a white flash appeared and suddenly nothing but blackness.

"General Hospital. I don't care how fast, just hurry," Johnny told the driver, holding Lulu against him.

"Hang in there, Lulu. I'm going to get you help."

…...

"Dante, how are you?" Brook Lynn asked, noticing the circles under his eyes. He hadn't spoken to her in the last few days and she hadn't seen any sign of Lulu. It wasn't like Dante to give up on anything that he wanted and she had thought that he wanted Lulu. So, it had came as a shock when he had invited her over for dinner.

"You should have let me cook for you, Dante," she told him, trying to hug him, as he dodged her embrace and put his cell phone in his pocket. He had stubble on his face and a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

"I told you, Brook Lynn, I wanted to do something nice for you. I wanted to show my appreciation for all that you have done for me," Dante said, trying to sound appreciative.

"Dante, that was so thoughtful. But, under the circumstances, you didn't have to. I'm so sorry about Lulu. I was so sure that she loved you. I would never have let anyone come between us, Dante. If I was Lulu, I mean," Brook Lynn answered, correcting herself.

"Well, you're not Lulu. Sit down, I'll bring us some wine," Dante said, walking toward the kitchen and pouring two glasses. His hands were shaking and he was trying to control his anger, hurt that she had deceived him. He thought about Lulu and the call he had made a few minutes ago. It had been days since she stepped into that elevator and walked out of his life. He felt as if someone had ripped out his heart. His every waking moment was of her. Was she ok? Was she in pain? Maxie had learned from Alfred, that Lulu was staying at Windemere.

Dante had thought about taking the boat to Spoon Island to see her. It was isolated, she couldn't run from him there. She would have to face him, to hear him out. He went over and over in his mind what he would say. How much of an ass he had been and how he would do anything for her to believe in him again. But, he didn't. Lulu said that she needed space and for once in Dante's life he was going to abide by her wishes and believe in her and what she was doing. He just hoped that the decision she made was returning to the loft, to him.

"Thank you," Brook Lynn said, taking the fluted glass of red wine from Dante. He sat down beside her, putting distance between them.

"Is something wrong?" Brook Lynn asked, sensing that Dante's was alienating himself from her.

"Wrong? What could possibly be wrong, Brook Lynn?" Dante answered, taking a long swallow of wine, before setting his glass on the table next to him.

"You just seem off?" Brook Lynn noted, placing her glass beside her, after taking a sip.

"How's your wine?" Dante asked her, his eyes on the glass, as she looked at him, curiously.

"It's fine. Dante, what is going on?" Brook Lynn questioned, worried that something was seriously wrong.

"That's what I would like to know, Brook Lynn. What happened? I thought that you and me, that we had a good relationship growing up, don't you?"

"The best, Dante. I don't understand," Brook Lynn responded, as Dante ran his hands through his hair, clearly upset.

"I would have done anything for you, Brook Lynn. Do you know that? You are practically my sister. If you were in trouble, I would have been there for you," Dante told her, shaking his head.

"Dante? If this is about Lulu-"

"This has always been about Lulu, Brook Lynn. Hasn't it? Did you hate her that much? Did you hate me that much?" Dante replied, his voice becoming louder.

"I never hated you, Dante. I love you. You're like a brother to me, too," Brook Lynn told him, realizing that somehow he had learned the truth.

"A brother? Is that why you accepted $50,000 to sleep with me? Please, Brook Lynn, explain it to me, because I don't know about you, but I am having a little difficulty wrapping my head around that one!" Dante shouted, standing before her.

Brook Lynn took a long drink of the red wine, throwing her head back as she drained the glass, needing fortitude to get her through this.

"I wouldn't have done it, Dante. You know that, don't you? I just told Carly what she wanted to hear. Did I flirt with you, in front of Lulu? Yes, I did. She destroyed my best friend's marriage. I hate her for what she did to Georgie. But, Dante I would never hurt you. You have to believe me," Brook Lynn told him, begging for his forgiveness.

"Believe you? I gave you the benefit of the doubt, Brook Lynn. I defended you against Lulu. Stupid me, I thought that she was just jealous. I loved it, that she was being all territorial about me. I never dreamed that what she told me was even remotely true. And now, I may have lost her, because of you," Dante said, angry that she had thought so little of their friendship.

"Dante, I'm sorry. Let me help. Please, I will explain everything to Lulu. Anything. Just say that you forgive me," Brook Lynn begged, folding her hands, as she prayed that he would forgive her.

"Hail Mary's won't help you, Brook Lynn. Did you enjoy your wine? Every last drop," Dante asked, as he looked at the glass.

"Why? Did you do something to it?" Brook Lynn questioned, rubbing her throat. She started to feel flushed and sat on the couch, wondering when she would the drug would hit her system and she would pass out.

"Did I drug you? Is that what you're asking, Brook Lynn? That's what you were going to do, right? The master plan, Brook Lynn. Let me guess, you were going to slip something into my wine and then when I was out cold slip into bed beside me" Dante accused.

"You're admitting it? You drugged me?" she said, shocked that Dante would do such a thing. She needed to get to a doctor, as she felt her throat constricting.

"No, Brook Lynn. I didn't put anything in your wine. I just wanted you to think that I did. So, you stop clutching at your throat. The act is over. Now, I would like you to get the hell out of my loft."

"Dante, please, I need you to forgive me," Brook Lynn pleaded, as he led her toward the side door, pushing her through it, and closing it in her face.

"It's done." Dante told Maxie and Spinelli, as he walked toward the couch, "Now we just have to wait for her to go to Carly," he said, disconnecting the call. Dante noticed that he had a voicemail and dialed it to listen to his message.

"Dante, it's Lulu-" he heard, as he listened to her message. His expression was hopeful, as he heard how much she missed him, but it turned to turmoil at the pain in her voice and the abrupt end to her call with the interruption of Johnny's frantic voice.

"Maxie, it's Dante. No, this isn't about Brook Lynn. Have you heard from Lulu or Johnny?" Dante pleaded, hoping that someone had called Maxie.

…...

"Sir, you have to stay out here. You can't go inside. Family only. I will let you know as soon as the doctor has examined her," the nurse told Johnny, as he paced back and forth in the waiting area.

It was driving him crazy, not knowing what was wrong with Lulu. She was so pale when they arrived, the nurse hovering over her. She had opened her eyes for just a moment and looked up at Johnny, mouthing one word. Dante. They had taken her away after that and he hadn't seen her since. He tried calling Dante, but he kept going to voicemail and he wasn't about to leave him a message. It was probably Dante's fault that Lulu was even in this mess. Johnny continued to pace, hoping that she would be all right.

…..

"That's impossible," Lulu told Dr. Lee, shell-shocked.

"Not only is it possible, Lulu. You are," the doctor beamed, smiling at a very confused Lulu.

"Pregnant? Oh My God," Lulu cried, tears of joy spilling down her face.

"I'm assuming that Dante is the father?" Dr. Lee asked, as Lulu nodded an affirmative.

"I've seen him with Carly's kids, Lulu. He is going to be a wonderful father," Dr. Lee answered, noticing the smile fall from Lulu's face.

"I broke up with him," she sobbed, covering her face with her hands, "What am I going to do?"

"Lulu, you have a lot of options. We can talk about them when you're ready," Dr. Lee told her, holding her hand.

"I know what I am going to do," Lulu answered, placing her hand over her stomach, "It's the right choice. I just hope that I can do this."

Just then, a loud commotion was coming from the hallway and Dr. Lee told Lulu she would be right back, closing the door and going to see what was happening.

"What's going on?" Johnny asked, as he glanced at Lulu inside the room and then proceeded to follow Dr. Lee to the nurse's station.

"We're on lockdown?" Dr. Lee said, looking at him, confusion passing over her face, as she followed procedure, making sure that Lulu's door was closed and that no one was in the hallway.

"You need to follow me, Mr. Zacchara. This way," she said, summoning him, as he reluctantly left Lulu behind.

Lulu sat up in bed, suddenly feeling an urge to do something that she hadn't done since she was a candy-striper years ago. She carefully pulled herself to the edge of the bed and slip her legs over, bracing herself as she stood up. She was woozy at first, but then things started to become normal again. She found that she could walk if she took it slow and easy. She opened the door to her room and peered out into the empty hallway. Where was everyone? She turned toward the hallway that would lead her to the nursery, rubbing her stomach as she realized in just a few months she would hold Dante's baby in her arms.

…...

"Dante, what are you doing here?" Mac asked him, as Dante arrived at the hospital, frantic that he still hadn't found Lulu.

"I was looking for Nicholas, hoping that someone knew where he was," Dante answered, as a very pregnant Elizabeth walked up to Mac.

"Mac, I need to get back in there. There are patients that need me," Nurse Elizabeth Webber told him.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. But, the hospital is on lockdown. No one goes in and no one comes out," Mac said, denying her entrance.

"Lockdown? What is going on, Mac?" Dante questioned, his police instincts telling him that something was wrong.

"Did Lulu call you?" Elizabeth asked, noticing Dante standing off to Mac's left.

"Lulu? Have you seen her? I have been looking for her?" Dante asked, hoping that Elizabeth could give him some answers.

"Dante, she's inside. She was admitted. Dr. Lee was seeing her. Wait, where are you going?" Elizabeth yelled, as Dante started running for the entrance.

"Lulu was inside? God knows what was going on and she was trapped in there," he thought, desperately trying to gain entrance. He flashed his badge trying to push past the SWAT team that guarded the entrance.

"I'm sorry, detective. No one goes in, or out. Commish's orders. That includes you."

"I don't give a damn about Mac's orders, do you hear me? My girlfriend is in there and I am going in whether you like it, or not," Dante yelled, pushing the guard out of his way and entering the building. Alarms were sounding all around him and flashing red lights attacked his eyes, as he ran for the stairwell to the tenth floor, praying that Lulu was ok.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Johnny Zacchara followed Dr. Lee to the tenth floor nurse's station, watching orderlies, nurse practioner's and doctors scurrying past them, as the alarms suddenly stopped and the lights returned to normal.

"What the hell was that?" Johnny asked, as Dr. Lee approached the chief of staff, Dr. Steven Webber.

"Everything is fine, Mr. Zacchara. Just take a seat in the waiting area," she told him, directing him toward an area with several chairs, as hospital staff were already there writing down the names of visitors and patients.

"Olivia? What are you doing here?" Johnny asked, as he pulled out his cell phone. No reception.

"I was dropping off the menu and catering estimate for the 2010 Nurse's Ball," Olivia told him, taking a seat in one of the nearby chairs. Johnny stood next to her seat, his eyes canvassing the hallway for any signs of trouble. Growing up in the Zacchara household, he had learned at an early age to expect the unexpected at a moment's notice, never knowing when, or what, would set his loony father off.

"Did they tell you anything?" Johnny asked, when Dr. Lee returned.

"Someone probably just tripped the emergency alarm system," Dr. Lee replied, her hands shaking, as her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't telling me the truth?" Johnny questioned, puzzled by her reaction.

"That's not what I'm-" Dr. Lee started to say, as Detective Ronnie Domestico approached them.

"This is now a police matter, Mr. Zacchara. So, no one is entitled to tell you anything," the detective said, silencing Dr. Lee with one look.

"Police matter? Since when?" Johnny asked. He disliked Detective Domestico immensely, hating the guy's patronizing tone and cocky attitude.

"Yo, Ronnie, Do I need to call your wife and have a heart to heart? Don't tell me you got nothing for me? What gives?" Olivia said, demanding an answer.

"I'm sorry, Olivia. But, I can't help you out. The Feds will be here soon and then you can take your boy toy here and be on your way," Ronnie told her, turning to address Johnny, "But, don't go too far, Zacchara. This mess has your crazy family written all over it."

"Anthony? Last time I checked he was still rotting in a cell a few doors down from Morgan. What do the Feds want with him?" Johnny wondered, thinking out loud.

"I never said it was your father. Just don't go too far, we may need to question you," Detective Domestico said, walking toward Dr. Steven Webber and keeping their conversation to a whisper.

"Why would they think that your family is behind all of this?" Olivia said, gesturing with her hand at the main lobby.

"I gave up trying to figure out the Port Chuck cops a long time ago, Olivia. They are nothing but lazy, no-good, Corrinthos' lovin, Keystone coppers that got nothing better to do than harass a Zacchara."

"Including my son? Dante is a good cop, Johnny. He feels badly about what happened to Michael. But, he was just doing his job, what he thought was the right thing to do," Olivia answered.

"The right thing to do? That would have been fingering pops for shooting him in the chest. I still don't buy his reasoning for that one. But, you don't care do you Olivia. I mean, Sonny's gets off, Dante forgives you for keeping a secret all his life. Everything is roses for you," he told her, sarcastically.

"I do care, Johnny. I love you. But, if you think that I am going to stand by you, while you go after Sonny, Johnny, well, I can't do it. I won't. You are like a ticking bomb, Johnny, and any day now it is going to blow up. Your revenge is going to destroy lives, Johnny. Did you think about that? Sonny will retaliate. He will kill you, Johnny. You know that, don't you?" Olivia said, pleading with him to end his vendetta.

"Wow, Olivia. Your confidence in me is just bursting from you, isn't it? Whose side are you on anyway? Sonny's?"

"I'm on your side, you big dope," she answered, smacking him on top of his head, "although, it doesn't really matter if I'm standing next to a corpse, now does it?" Olivia told him, shaking her head at how stupid men could be.

"I'm taking him down, Olivia. No matter the cost. Sonny needs to pay for what he did to Claudia," Johnny explained.

"And if the cost is me?" Olivia asked, as she reached for his hand.

"Well, then I'm going to be heartbroken. But, it won't change my plans for Sonny," Johnny answered, withdrawing his hand from Olivia's, as he watched the FBI approach Detective Domestico.

"I need to check on Lulu," Johnny said out loud, as Olivia looked at him with a surprised look.

"Lulu? She's in the hospital? Does Dante know?" Olivia questioned, worried.

"She's fine. Just a stomach bug. No need to call Dante. In fact, you tell him that I said the farther he stays away from Lulu, the better. He's no good for her. She doesn't need any stress right now," Johnny told her, as he turned and walked away, saluting the FBI as he headed toward Lulu's room.

Olivia pulled out her cell phone and placed a call to Dante. His voice mail picked up and she left a message that Lulu was at the hospital. She didn't mention that Lulu was fine, knowing that Dante would race over here if he thought that Lulu was in any sign of danger. It was time those kids made up, she thought to herself, curious as to why Johnny thought otherwise.

"Dante?" Olivia said out loud, thinking that was fast as he appeared out of nowhere and approached the nurse's station, which was now surrounded by Federal officers. In the midst of the circle stood Dr. Steve Webber and Detective Domestico. What the hell was going on? Dante wondered, as he looked around the waiting area for any sign of Lulu.

"Dante, you took your sweet time, didn't you? We've been waiting on you," Ronnie told him, poking jabs.

"Waiting? Mac didn't say anything to me. I'm here to check on Lulu," Dante answered, looking at Dr. Lee, who looked up when Dante said Lulu's name.

"Detective Falconeri? You were looking for Miss Spencer?" she said, as she walked up to him.

"Elizabeth said that she was admitted. Is everything ok?" Dante asked, his palms sweating from worry.

"She's fine, Detective. I can take you to her room if you would like," Dr. Lee told him, starting to lead him toward the far corridor.

"Hold up, Dr. Lee. Dante, your girl's gonna have to wait. We got a situation here that needs attending to," Ronnie told him, as the Feds looked on.

"I'm not going anywhere until I see Lulu," Dante told them, following Dr. Lee toward Lulu's room.

"Dante, I'll check on Lulu," Olivia told him, as Dante turned surprised to see her.

"Thanks, Ma, but I need to see her for myself," Dante replied.

"That's strange. I left her right here," Dr. Lee told him, looking into a now empty room.

"Left her? Alone?" Dante asked, upset, "Why didn't you take her with you? Is it standard procedure to leave a patient all alone during a lockdown?"

"I understand that you're upset, Detective. I assure you she was fine. Someone probably just moved her with the other patients," Dr. Lee responded, trying to reassure him.

"Then, where is she?" Dante said, his heart beating rapidly inside his chest.

"Dante, we'll find her. Don't worry. She could be with Johnny. He brought her in, right?" Olivia asked Dr. Lee, as she nodded an affirmation.

"Detective, I understand that your worried about your girlfriend, but I hardly think that her situation warrants sending out the calvary," Agent Barrows said, in a scolding tone.

"Dr. Lee, why don't you take Detective Falconeri's mother to check on his girlfriend. Officer Westman could you escort them please," the agent said, as Olivia looked at him with a questioning gaze. Why did they need a police escort?

"I really need to find Lulu, Ronnie," Dante told him, concerned for her safety.

"Dante, I'll tell her you're here. She'll be fine. Go," Olivia told him, ushering toward Ronnie and the Feds.

"Dante, you have no idea what is going on here. You really need to come with us," Ronnie said, as Agent Barrows turned toward them.

"Then, someone needs to start talking. Why is the hospital on lockdown and why are the feds here?" Dante questioned, as Agent Barrows led him out of the room and down another corridor.

"You need to see this first," Ronnie said, handing Dante a gold envelope. Dante opened it and removed the photograph from inside. It was a crime scene. A man in a prison uniform with a knife in his belly.

It could just be a coincidence, but was this the man that Jason killed for attacking Michael? Dante thought to himself, as he approached the room where Agent Barrows now stood.

Ronnie followed Dante and the agent as they entered the cancer ward, walking up toward a room at the end that was guarded by one of Port Charles's finest. As they walked into the room, Dante stopped, his gaze taking in the body sprawled across the floor. It was an eerie reminder of the artist that had tormented their lives just a few months earlier.

"Who was she?" Dante asked, kneeling before the body, as he noted the position and angle of her contorted form. She lay facing the doorway, her body lay on its side as her eyes stared sightlessly at the hallway.

"Cancer patient. Shirley Smith. Doesn't this look familiar to you, Dante?" Ronnie said, as he leaned over the body, "It should. It's the exact same pose that Maxie mimicked in the photograph shown to Spinelli. Claudia's death scene."

"Franco's got a copycat," Ronnie said , looking at an artist's recreation of Claudia's murder.

"I don't think so, " Dante answered.

"Everything is too precise, from the way that the light reflects off of the body, to the direction that her hand is pointing. It all leads to him," Dante said, analyzing the scene.

"Franco? But, why now? Jason's in prison." Ronnie questioned, in disbelief.

What game is Franco trying to play? Dante wondered, trying to see the scene through a serial killer's eyes. Why this woman? Why the need to cause a hospital lockdown?

"Find out what you can about the patient. There has to be a connection," Dante told Ronnie, as realization dawned on him. Jason had just killed a man for attacking Michael. Was this Franco's way of keeping his promise. For every life Jason took, Franco would take one also. How could he possibly know what was going on in Pentonville.

"Lulu," Dante said, suddenly knowing why she was missing, "Ronnie did you see any other envelopes? At the nurse's station? Anywhere. Ronnie, I need your help on this," Dante asked, becoming frantic.

"I don't know. Maybe. Dr. Lee's chart," Ronnie said, as Dante ran for Lulu's room and the mounting that held her chart.

"Dante, what is it?" Ronnie asked, as Dante pulled out the chart and took the envelope that was attached to it. He opened it and removed the photograph inside. It was a photograph of Lulu duck-taped to a chair, with a bomb underneath. A message was written on the photo in bold, jagged script.

Get me Jason Morgan...or...this time she won't be so lucky.  
Tick Tock, Tick Tock, You have one hour.

"The sonofabitch has Lulu," Dante replied in despair, showing Ronnie the photograph with one hand, as the other raked through his hair.

Carly Jax was playing with Jocelyn when the doorbell rang. She carried her daughter, answering the door to a messenger with an envelope.

"Mrs. Carly Jax?" the messenger asked, as Carly nodded that she was indeed.

"Sign here, please," he told her, pointing to the signature line. Carly signed for the envelope and the messenger handed it to her.

"Oh, wait just a minute," she said turning toward the nightstand on which her purse was placed. She pulled out a few small bills and handed them to the messenger. He nodded his thanks and Carly closed the door.

"I wonder what this could be," Carly said out loud, talking to her daughter. She placed Jocelyn in her playpen and opened the envelope, pulling out the letter inside.

"Jocelyn, you got a letter," Carly exclaimed, starting to read, but soon the smile fell from her face only to be replaced by horror.

Hush little Jocelyn, Don't Say a Word  
Mama Carly was plotting and planning, Oh Lord  
Dante and Lulu were shocked in the end  
At Brook Lynn's Involvement in Carly's Revenge.

But, Don't Look Now, Carly, Your Plan Has Hit a Snag,  
Spinelli went and let the cat out of the bag,  
Carly, Don't You Worry, There is More Fun Yet to Come,  
But, Only if Dante and Jason Chase Me On the Run.

Hush little Jocelyn, Franco will Prevail  
Mama Carly and her plans always find a way to fail.

How the hell did Franco know about her plans for Dante and Lulu? Carly was terrified that Franco's evil hand was once again reaching out to Jocelyn, only this time she didn't have Jason to protect her. She looked inside the envelope and pulled out a recent photograph of Jocelyn asleep in her crib. The bastard was in her house again. Picking up Jocelyn, Carly grabbed her purse and Jocelyn's diaper bag and closed the door behind her, locking the house. She would drop Jocelyn off at Bobbie's and then go to Pentonville to pay a visit to Jason. He would know what to do about Franco and how to keep him away from Jocelyn.

Samantha McCall stood in the shadows, staring through the camera lens at the couple inside. Jackpot, she thought, snapping a few photos of the ELQ board member and his newly appointed finance advisor in a compromising position. His wife would be pleased, Sam thought, knowing that this would give her the divorce allotment she wanted and the bonus that Sam had been waiting for. She took a few more shots and then placed the camera in her shoulder bag. Two more cases to go and she was done for the day. This used to be easier when Spinelli was actually part of the PI business, but nowadays he just sulked at Jason's penthouse, waiting for Stone Cold to return. Sam wanted Jason to come home too, but she wasn't going to put her life on hold. She knew that Jason wouldn't want that. He would hate that. So, she immersed herself in her work and luckily for her their were a lot of philandering scumbags out there that made that easy for her and proved to be a great distraction from Jason's incarceration.

She walked toward her car and unlocked the driver's door, sliding inside. On the seat of the passenger a gold envelope rested and she reached for it, curious as to how it ended up in her car. She opened the envelope and pulled out the photograph inside, puzzled by its contents. It was a black negative, an overexposure with nothing but darkness.

"What the..." Sam said, as a hand reached around, covering her mouth with a white cloth. Chloroform, she said to herself, as she struggled briefly.

"It'll hurt less if you stop struggling," the masked man said, smiling from the backseat of her car.

Her body inhaled, feeling deprived of air and she inhaled the drug into her system and suddenly faded into blackness.

Lulu stared into the eyes of madness, his face the last one that she ever expected to see again. He grabbed her arm and put the gun against her side, leading her cautiously down the hallway, peering into rooms and canvassing the corridors to ensure that no one was there.

"What do you want?" Lulu asked him, afraid for her life, but knowing that she needed to play along until she came up with a plan to escape.

"I'm hurt, Miss Spencer. We spent all of that time together and you can't even greet an old friend," Franco answered, in a condescending tone.

"How are you, Franco?" Lulu asked, gritting her teeth, as he smiled in that charming way of his, that bordered on insanity.

"I'm bored, Lulu. Won't you play a game with me?" Franco asked, grinning, as he dragged her down the stairwell, looking for any signs of police.

"You won't get away with this. You know that, don't you? Dante will look for me and he won't stop until he finds you," Lulu told him, trying to discourage him from his game.

"That's what I am counting on, Miss Spencer. All we need is one more player and game on," Franco answered, smiling deviously.

"One more player? Jason?" Lulu asked, knowing how obsessed Franco was with him.

"But, he's in prison. You don't expect Dante to get him out, do you?"

"I do. I don't care how he does it, Miss Spencer. You're boyfriend has exactly one hour to get me Jason Morgan. It would be a shame if our friendship ended tragically, wouldn't it? Let's keep our fingers crossed that your boyfriend cares about you as much as you think, Miss Spencer. Otherwise-" Franco said, hinting that all would not end well.

Lulu took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest, as she was forced down the stairwell, praying that Dante found her soon.

"Did you take care of it?" Franco asked, answering his cell phone. Lulu looked at the phone, her heart dropping, as she realized that it was one of the prepaid phones and completely untraceable.

"It's done," the man responded, as he closed the trunk and sat behind the wheel of Sam McCall's car.

"Get rid of it. Push it in the harbor. No one will ever find it," Franco told him, "2pm. Meet me at the designated place."

"Will do, boss," the man answered, disconnecting the call.

Lulu looked down at her watch, it was 12:30pm. She should be at work. Maxie was probably worried sick about her, she thought. 2Pm? That gave her exactly an hour and a half to escape his clutches.

"Come on, Cupcake. Destiny awaits," Franco said, pushing her through the sixth floor doorway.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I don't care if he is busy. You get me the warden," Dante yelled into the phone, pacing back and forth in the hospital corridor.

"Hold please," the dispatcher said, while Dante listened to elevator music. A few minutes passed and Dante grew more and more agitated each time he glanced at his watch. Fifty-five minutes, that's all he had to create a miracle and temporarily release Morgan from prison. Where the hell was that Warden Dante, thought, fearing for Lulu's safety.

"This better be good, Detective," the warden warned, answering the phone, "I was two under par with only the ninth hole to play."

"Listen, I don't have time to hear about your golf game, Warden. We have a situation here and I need your help," Dante told him, praying that the Warden saw the logic in releasing Morgan.

"We need you to release Jason Morgan into our custody," Dante explained, hearing the Warden's blasphemous response.

"Are you out of your goddamn mind," the Warden replied, continuing to curse into Dante's eardrums, "Release him? He ain't here for no detention. Shit, Detective, he is here for racketeering and now suspicion of murder. Christ, you must be mad," the Warden shouted in a voice loud enough for the FBI to hear next to Dante.

"Give me the phone, Detective," Agent Barrows demanded, as Dante handed him his police-issued Samsung, "What the hell is this? What did WalMart have a special on phone plans?" the agent responded, glancing at the archaic phone.

"Warden, this is Agent Barrows with the FBI. We have a police matter that requires Jason Morgan's cooperation," the agent said, expecting the Warden to comply.

"His cooperation? Last time I checked Agent Barrows, the FBI was dying to dismantle the Corrinthos organization. Now, we get his mob enforcer behind bars and you want to set him free. What the hell are you people drinking in Port Charles?" the Warden questioned, thinking that every one of them had lost their marbles.

"The release is only temporary. He will be released into the custody of Detective Falconeri. You should receive a fax from the Governor any minute now," Agent Barrows told the Warden, awaiting his response.

"Oh Hell," the Warden answered, shrieking to his secretary, "Maribelle, you get a fax?"

"Hold your horses, Warden. I'm checking," the woman said, taking her sweet time.

"Warden, we don't have all day," Agent Barrows said, as Dante grabbed the phone from him.

"I'm on my way over, Warden. I'll be there in ten minutes. I need Morgan processed and released by the time I get there," Dante ordered, handing the phone back to Agent Barrows.

"Ten minutes?" the Warden replied, looking down at the signed letter from the Governor of New York.

"Christ, it takes a few hours to get someone processed. Ten minutes? Dammit, there goes my golf game."

"Just do it, Warden. It's a matter of life and death," Agent Barrows reminded him, disconnecting the call. Forty minutes, he thought, looking down at his Omega watch. How the hell was the detective going to get across town in ten minutes.

"Outta my way," Dante shouted, as he barreled past the SWAT team that had made a perimeter around the hospital entrance and hijacked one of their motorcycles.

"Hey, that is police property," the officer yelled, as Dante swung his leg over the seat and started the engine. He shot forward, racing out of the hospital parking lot, as Mac started to chase after him, only to be flagged down by the FBI.

"What the hell is going on?" Mac demanded, not caring if the FBI superseded his jurisdiction.

"The FBI has everything under control," Agent Barrows told him, calmly, as Mac looked like he was ready to burst a gasket.

"Under Control? You just sent one of my own detectives off god knows where and didn't even consult me, Agent Barrows. Now, I am telling you, either you start explaining why my detective just shot out of here like a bat out of hell, or jurisdiction be damned, by God, I'll teach you whose controlling what here," Commishioner Mac Scorpio ordered.

"Commish," Ronnie said, as he walked up to Mac, "It looks like it's Franco. He is playing some kind of game and took a hostage."

"What hostage? What's he want?" Mac asked, not liking the sound of this one bit.

"Lulu Spencer. He wants Dante to get the Warden to release Jason Morgan in-" Ronnie said, glancing down at his watch, "thirty-five minutes, or else he is going to start killing again, starting with Dante's girlfriend. Look, I just thought that you would want an update, but I need to get back inside."

"Yeah, go," Mac told him, distracted by the fact that they had a serial killer on the loose. The longer they could keep this from the Mayor the better, he thought, knowing that the press was going to have a field day with this one.

"So what's it going to be this time, Franco?" Lulu asked as he moved her toward an access door on the sixth floor.

"Inside," he told her, leading her toward a supply closet, pushing her inside and closing the door on her. She stood alone, slowly canvassing the room for anything that she could use to defend herself. On one shelf were bed linens, pillows and hospital gowns. An additional shelf on the opposite side held miscellaneous items such as bandages, bottles of alcohol, trash bags, magazines and some cleaning supplies stored in the corner. Her eyes scanned the bottles, trying to find something that could be of use to her, as a conversation outside of the door, filtered through the doorway with lowered voices, barely above a whisper.

"Is everything set?" she heard Franco ask, as she pressed her ear to the door.

"Yeah, but this is it. No more favors. We are even, Franco," the man said in a muffled voice. Lulu tried to make out who it was, but he was speaking so softly that she was only catching a phrase here and a word there.

"No...too dangerous...he'll figure it out...Morgan...working on it now...soon." the man whispered in a vaguely familiar voice.

Lulu heard more voices in the hallway, moving closer and she was about to yell, as the supply closet door was opened and Franco jumped inside, silencing her with his hand over her mouth.

"I've already searched this area, boys. I'm afraid it's a dead end," Detective Domestico told them, leading them away from the supply closet, as a very shocked Lulu Spencer remained captive. She struggled, her hands flailing, trying to break free to alert the police outside the door. But, Franco's strength seemed inhuman, his stance rigid, as he calmly held her stationary.

He didn't say a word until several minutes had passed and the voices outside the door were silent. Only then did he release his hand from her mouth and ease his hold on her arms. He looked down at his watch, twenty minutes remaining.

He wanted so much to play with Jason Morgan again, hoping desperately that Detective Falconeri loved Lulu Spencer enough to get Morgan to him on time. Then, the real fun could begin, Franco thought, grinning, as he opened the supply closet door and peered cautiously up and down the corridor.

Feeling confident that the coast was clear, he ushered Lulu Spencer out into the corridor and toward her inevitable fate.

"This is complete bull shit. Where is he?" Dante demanded, pacing in the Warden's office, as he waited for Morgan to be released into his custody. Eighteen minutes, he noticed, worried that he wouldn't get to Lulu in time.

"He is on his way now," the Warden's secretary told him, giving him an annoyed look, "Didn't your mother ever teach you to be patient, Detective? That a little sweetness goes a long way."

What the hell, Dante thought, running his hands through his hair, as the clock continued to count down. He heard the door open and turned, seeing Jason Morgan standing before him in handcuffs.

"I need the cuffs removed," Dante told them, as the Warden reluctantly complied, releasing the catch, as the handcuffs broke away from Morgan's wrists.

"If he runs, Detective. It's on you," the Warden answered, knowing that all around this was a bad idea.

"Come on, Jason. We don't have much time," Dante told him, practically dragging Jason Morgan from the room.

"What the hell is going on, Dante? No one told me anything. Did something happen to Michael?" Jason asked, wondering why he was being released into Dante's custody.

"Franco has Lulu. I don't have time to explain. I only have ten minutes to get to GH," Dante replied, disparagingly as he looked down at his watch, running toward the bike.

"Get on," Dante told Morgan, as he hopped on the bike.

"Move. You'll never get there in time. I'll drive," Morgan told him, sliding on the bike, as Dante moved toward the back.

"Hold on," Jason said, as he gripped the handlebars and revved the motor, shooting out of the parking lot, as Dante held on for dear life. Just hang in there, Lulu, Dante thought, as Morgan darted in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed. Just a few minutes more, Dante said silently, praying that he got to Lulu on time.

Franco looked at the clock on the wall, two minutes, he sighed, feeling the slightest bit saddened by what he was about to do. He loved games and wanted so badly to play with Morgan and Falconeri again. He even enjoyed toying with Miss Spencer, loving how she became riled. He could see the wheels spinning in her brain now, as she noticed the clock as well and realized that her time had run out.

He pulled out a syringe and carefully unwrapped it from its casing, as Lulu looked on in horror.

"What are you doing?" she asked, as he gripped her arm, "It'll only hurt for a second. I promise," Franco told her, as she tried to break free from his grasp.

The needle was sharp and penetrated the skin of her shoulder quickly, the pain fleeting. Lulu's vision started to blur and she felt the ground rush up to her, as Franco caught her in his arms before she hit the floor.

"It took you long enough," Franco told Ronnie Domestico, as he carried Lulu to the wheelchair and sat her upon it, covering her with a blanket. Ronnie handed him the bag in his hand and Franco took it, pushing Lulu toward the elevator.

"I had to shake the Feds, Franco. They are crawling all over the place thanks to your little gift on the tenth floor," Ronnie told him, handing Franco the hospital scrubs.

"That couldn't be helped. She recognized me," Franco answered, saddened by the memory of Shirley Smith. It hurt him deeply that he had to take her life, she was so good to him as a child. Unfortunately for her, she recognized him immediately and he had no choice but to silence her.

"You're sticking to the deal right, Franco. Lulu Spencer is just your escape out of here," Ronnie questioned, trying to confirm his agreement with Franco.

"Lulu Spencer is a means to an end, Ronnie. Nothing more. As soon as Morgan plays my game, she will dispensed with," Franco promised.

"You assured me that she wouldn't be harmed, Franco. That was the deal. Dante is practically family. He would be devastated if anything happened to her," Ronnie told him, worried about Lulu's safety.

"I'm well aware of that, Ronnie. Believe me. Lulu Spencer is more valuable to me than you think," Franco told him, as he dressed himself in scrubs, "Now, my game players will be here any minute now. So, we are going to have to cut our conversation short. I am very eager to get the game started."

"What exactly are you planning, Franco?" Ronnie asked, inserting a key into the freight elevator and unlocking it for Franco's use.

"Just a friendly game, pal. I do love a great mystery, don't you?" Franco replied, smiling.

"A mystery? Are there more bodies involved in this plan?" Ronnie asked, dreading the game about to be played. He hated all of this, but was forced to play. He was indebted to Franco for serving time for him and for the secret that Franco held over his head. A secret that if revealed would end his career and dissolve his relationship with Dante.

"I need you close by, Ronnie. At a moment's notice. Or, this won't work," Franco told him, looking down at Lulu in the wheelchair, "I need him to find her."

Dante and Jason raced into the hospital with only seconds to spare, surrounded by Feds and officers of the PCPD. Dante waited for the call from Franco, his heart beating rapidly in his chest, as he feared for Lulu's safety.

"Why isn't he calling? Where the hell is he?" Dante said, scared that he was too late. The cell phone in his hand, started to ring and Dante answered it, waiting for the voice on the other end to speak, as Jason stood by trying to anticipate Franco's next move.

"Dante, it's Ronnie. I need you to come quick," he said, sounding frantic on the phone.

"What is it? Is it Franco? Did you find him? Tell me you got him, Ronnie," Dante said, wondering why his partner sounded a bit off.

"I didn't find Franco. Dante, they think that they found Lulu. You need to come, Dante. Room 606."

"Ronnie, is she-" Dante asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"Just get here, Dante," his partner answered, causing a feeling of dread to spiral through his body.

"Jason, they found Lulu," Dante explained, running for the stairs, as Jason followed behind him.

"But, that doesn't make sense. Franco loves the game. He would never give her up so easily. Not this early," Morgan said, wondering why Franco hadn't revealed himself yet.

"Why do you find it so hard to believe that he let her go?" Dante questioned Jason, as they neared Room 606.

"Dante, he waited until the last second to give us the address for Sam and Lulu. Why would he change his game now? It's not like him. He loves the chase," Jason told Dante, as they approached the officers in the corridor.

"You don't believe that it's Lulu, do you?" Dante said, realizing where Jason was going with this.

"I don't," Jason answered, truthfully, as Ronnie walked up to them and they entered the room together.

The body of the girl was strapped to a chair, duck-taped, her long blond hair hanging in front of her face, as the officers approached her. Beneath the chair was a kitchen timer, the counter set to zero. Taped to her nurse's uniform was a note with a number written upon it in Franco's handwriting.

Dante pulled out his cell phone and punched in the numbers, waiting for Franco to answer.

Franco pulled out the items from the brown sack that Ronnie gave him, removing a short, dark-haired wig and a large hat. He used the items to disguise Lulu, wheeling her toward the exit, past the distracted police officers speaking frantically on their phones and out toward the waiting car.

After he placed her in the vehicle, he waited for the call from Dante, eager to hear his response.

"Where the hell is she, Franco?" Dante yelled, wanting to reach through the phone and wring his neck.

"Morgan's with you?" Franco asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, I did what you asked, Franco. Now, I want Lulu," Dante told him, demanding her release.

"I'm not ready to part with her just yet, Dante. The game has just begun. But, don't worry. I left you a bread trail. If your as good a Detective, as you think you are, you'll follow soon enough. You and Morgan. See you soon, Detective." Franco told him, disconnecting the phone.

"Wait-" Dante yelled, as Franco hung up on him.

"Dante? You need to focus. What is his next move?" Morgan asked, watching Dante as he started canvassing every part of the room.

"He left a clue. He said it will lead us to Lulu," Dante answered, having no idea what he was looking for. Ronnie stood near the body and reached for a piece of paper that was crammed into the side of the timer.

"Dante, I think that I found something," Ronnie told him, pulling out a brochure.

"What is it?" Morgan asked, as Dante opened it carefully.

"It's a brochure for an art show at a gallery in New York," Dante answered, worried for Lulu. Franco was in control of the game and the next stop was New York City.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Lulu awoke, her body strapped into the passenger side of the moving vehicle, as Franco sat behind the wheel. Her mouth was dry and she parted her lips, feeling as if a dozen cotton balls were stuffed inside. She felt disorientated and her muscles heavy. She tried to move her hand, but it took every ounce of her energy and even that caused very little movement.

"What the hell did you give me?" Lulu said, remembering the injection in her arm. Her racing heart was slowly returning to normal, but she remained petrified, unsure of Franco's plans for her.

"Relax, Ms. Spencer. It was just something to calm you down, to help you sleep," Franco answered, as his eyes remained on the traffic in front of them.

"I'm pregnant, Franco. I need to know what you gave me," she begged, worried about the life she carried inside of her.

"Haloperidol. I gave you just enough to make our escape. It's completely harmless," he replied, unconvincingly.

"Harmless? But isn't that used for schizophrenia?" Lulu asked, as she felt the drug wearing off and her head start to clear and become less fuzzy.

"It's a treatment for that, yes," Franco told her, as he diverted his eyes from the road for just a second to look at his captive, "I didn't know that you were pregnant when I planned this out, Lulu. But, if it makes you feel any better, I did research it. In small doses, it's very unlikely that it will cause the fetus any harm and it is very early in your pregnancy," Franco answered, as if talking to a child.

"I have a life growing inside of me, Franco. A life that I love very much. If anything happens to this baby, Franco, I swear to you-" Lulu said, emotionally, while rubbing her abdomen with a comforting gesture.

"Lulu Spencer, you are not my target. I promise you, nothing will happen to you. You have my word," Franco told her, as if that was supposed to mean something.

"Your word? Franco you strapped me to a bomb and left me to die! How am I supposed to believe that my circumstances are any different!"

"That was about Jason. In the last few months, I've had time to get to know you Lulu. We actually have a lot in common. I like you," Franco said, assuredly.

"We have nothing in common, Franco. You are deranged. You have this sick, twisted game that you play with Jason, you're obsessed, Franco. You are so wrapped up in his life that you don't have anything of your own. It's really pathetic." Lulu said, not hiding her true feelings for him.

"Pathetic, Lulu? You have no idea what was taken from me! I had a life!" he yelled, taking his eyes off of the road to turn his angry gaze toward her, "And he took it from me."

The car swerved and Franco diverted his eyes to the road, correcting the wheel, as his hands gripped it with white knuckles, nearly missing a car to their left.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Lulu apologized. For a brief second, she glimpsed the madness that hid behind Franco's veiled eyes. It frightened her. The emptiness. God help her, but she needed Franco to believe that she was on his side.

"I understand. Jason is a hit man. You admire him. But, Dante isn't anything like Jason. He wouldn't just take a life," she told Franco, trying to make him understand why it would benefit him to release her, "If you just let me go-"

"Anyone can take a life, Lulu. But, you already know that, don't you?" Franco replied, smiling, as Lulu realized what he meant. Somehow, someway, Franco had discovered that she killed Logan Hayes.

...

Dante paced back and forth in the precinct, one hand running through his dark hair, as he waited impatiently for Lucky Spencer to arrive.

"Where the hell is my sister, Dante? And why the hell did I have to hear about it from Domestico?" Lucky shouted, as he pointed at Dante accusingly and stood nose to nose with him.

"I didn't have time to call you, Lucky. And I don't have time now! Only god knows where he has taken her. We need to be doing something!" Dante hollered, his eyes turbulent, as his mind raced with thoughts of Lulu at the hands of a serial killer.

"Spinelli is working on Franco's exhibitions, trying to see if he can find a lead. Mac is looking into recent flights out of Port Charles, but there haven't been any calls. We have Franco and Lulu's description out there," Ronnie Domestico answered, walking toward them.

"You need to stop thinking like a cop. I know Franco. He won't respond to your police negotiations," Jason Morgan told them, while handcuffed to a chair.

"If you want to save her, you're going to have to trust me," Jason said, shooting daggers at Dante. He hated Falconeri, but if they were going to defeat Franco, then they were going to have to work together.

"Trust you? Am I just supposed to turn my back and wait for you to plunge a knife into it? Well, I'm sorry, but that isn't going to happen," Dante replied, displaying his dislike for Morgan.

"Then start preparing yourself, Detective. Because I promise you, if we don't stay one step ahead of Franco, the next time you see Lulu will be at her funeral," Jason stated, trying to make Dante understand.

"I won't let that happen," Dante answered, promising himself that no matter what, Lulu would return safely.

"Then, give me a gun. I can't take down Franco if I can't defend myself." Jason told him, truthfully.

"Give you a gun? Are you out of your freaking mind?" Ronnie interrupted, as Dante silenced him with a look.

"I'm not asking you to take down Franco," Dante admitted, "You're just the bait. I'm going to bring the bastard in myself."

"Great. So, once again the arrogant super cop is going to save the day! How did that work out last time for you, Detective?" Jason replied, referring to Dante's determination to nail Sonny personally and how Michael had inevitably taken the fall.

"Your going to have to work with me Dante, whether or not, you like it. Or, does Lulu's life mean so little to you that you are willing to let her die to protect your ego," Jason answered, watching Dante's reaction.

"I would do anything for Lulu. I would take her place if I could. I would give my life for her," Dante answered, truthfully.

"Well, I'm just asking for a gun." Jason replied, praying that Dante was willing to budge and trust him just a little.

...

Maxie sat at her desk, typing memos to the Paris contacts to remind them of upcoming layouts and fashion shows, all while her mind raced and her nerves were on edge thinking of what was happening to Lulu.

The phone rang and Maxie answered it, expecting it to be Kate or a client of Crimson's, but it was the doorman from downstairs saying that she had a delivery.

"For Crimson? Go ahead and send it up," Maxie told him, wondering if it was the new layout for the July issue.

The elevator opened and Maxie turned, expecting to see a courier with an envelope, but instead she was greeted by two dozen red roses in a crystal vase. She signed the delivery slip and directed the courier to place the vase on a nearby table. She tipped him and he left the office heading toward the Metro Court lounge in the elevator.

Maxie waited until the elevator closed and had started its descent before reading the card that came with the flowers.

Two dozen roses you'll find today,  
Three more are coming your way.

The final six, I've yet to pick,  
So, sit back Morgan and enjoy your flick

The note was signed by Franco and was attached to an envelope. Maxie opened it and pulled out the disc from inside. Written on the disc was one word. Morgan.

Picking up the phone, she pressed the speed dial button for Dante Falconeri and waited for him to answer.

"Maxie, what is it?" Dante answered, recognizing her number.

"I need you to come to Crimson, Dante. I just got another message from Franco," Maxie told him, hoping that he hurried.

"I'll be right there," Dante replied, hanging up and looking at Jason Morgan. He uncuffed him and Jason stood, stretching his hands, willing the numbness and prickly feeling to go away, as Dante looked at Lucky Spencer.

"Maxie just a message from Franco," Dante told them, as he pulled out his police-issued 9mm and placed it in the holster at his side. He started for the door and turned to see Jason standing in the same spot, not having moved an inch.

"Fine. Get him a gun," Dante told Lucky Spencer, "I'll fill out the paperwork later."

"Thanks," Jason told him, as he placed the 9mm behind his back.

"Don't thank me, Jason. If you run, I will stop you, even if I have to shoot you," Dante told him, honestly, not trusting him for a minute.

...

Lulu looked out the window, memorizing the landmarks as Franco pulled off to the right, amidst honking horns and parked in front of a fire hydrant. Lulu had been to New York City with Dante, but that was inside a limousine and she was unfamiliar with this side of the city.

"Where are you taking me?" Lulu asked him, becoming disheartened with every mile that separated her from Dante. The longer Franco held her, the harder it would be for Dante to find her.

"You'll find out soon enough," Franco answered her, unlocking the door to a brick building and ushering her inside. It was an old warehouse that had been converted into lofts, but it appeared to have been abandoned for quite sometime. He led her up to an elevator much like Dante's with a metal cage and proceeded Lulu inside. He closed the cage and pushed a button, the elevator doors closing as they slowly rose upward. After reaching the top, the elevator stopped and Franco opened the cage door, introducing Lulu to a studio apartment that was heavily decorated with black and white photographs that plastered the walls. Unlike the warehouse in Port Charles, this one at least had a few pieces of furniture here and there. He led her to a chair near the back and directed her to sit down. He proceeded to pull out a pair of handcuffs and secure her to the piping that ran along the walls.

"Don't miss me too much while I'm gone," Franco told her, as he grabbed a dry cleaning bag nearby and went into another room. He returned ten minutes later, dressed in a black Armani suit with matching shoes. He checked Lulu's handcuffs one last time to ensure that they were secure, before leaving the loft and locking her inside.

Franco hailed a cab one block from the warehouse and directed him to the Museum of Modern Art. His controversial photographs were on exhibit and although the eccentric artist, Franco would never make an entrance, he would certainly remain in the shadows watching for those special guests who attended.

Dante and Jason stepped out of the elevator on the Crimson floor and approached Maxie Jones, who still appeared visibly shaken.

"Where is it?" Dante asked, reaching for the disk.

"It's addressed to Jason," Maxie told them, handing it over, "I didn't watch it."

"Dante placed it in the hard drive and waited for the media pop-up directing him to play its contents.

A brochure for the Metropolitan Museum of Art appeared, followed by the exhibit for Franco's photographs. It was titled Death In Numbers, and included today's date and time of the exhibit. It opened in an hour and was a private showing of the artists collection. Next to the roses were two tickets for the exhibit. Dante was about to eject the disk when Franco's face suddenly appeared on-screen.

"Morgan, it's so good to see you out of prison. I'm glad you could play my game," Franco told him, as his image appeared on the monitor, "I have a surprise for both of you," Franco continued, "So hurry, I don't want you to miss all of the fun," he said, as his image faded from the monitor and a photograph of Lulu appeared, unconscious, in a wheelchair, her hand dangling off the side

"The son of a bitch wheeled her out of the hospital in plain sight," Dante announced, clenching his hand into a fist at his side, "If she is harmed in any way. I'm going to kill him."

"That's not Franco's style, Dante. He's enjoying this too much," Jason told him.

"She's not dead," Dante assured them, his eyes betraying his hatred for Franco.

"How can you be so sure?" Maxie asked him, worry spreading across her face.

"I'd feel it," Dante answered, knowing in his heart that Lulu was still alive.

"We need to go, Jason," Dante said, looking at the closing time for the exhibit. It was in less than sixty minutes.

"Maxie, call Lucky and tell him to meet you here. Give him the disk. Call security and tell them no one comes up here but him. No one, Maxie," Dante told her, as he followed Jason to the elevator.

"Promise me that you'll bring Lulu back safe, Dante," Maxie said, needing to hear Dante's reassurance.

"I promise. I won't stop until I find her and bring her home safe."

…...

Lulu looked around her feet for anything that could pick a lock. Why the hell hadn't she secured her hair with bobby pins, she thought, desperately trying to find something to aid her escape. The floor was barren, the old heater that sat next to her kicking off and on. She was able to count the time, realizing that it would kick off every twenty minutes. Forty minutes had gone by since Franco had departed and she had no idea how long she had before he returned. Frantically, her eyes searched the vicinity of her chair, praying that something was left behind.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something sparkle from beneath the heater. With her feet she kicked off her shoe, her toe wiggling beneath the heater and grasping onto something, hooking it between her toes. She pulled it out from beneath the heater and carefully raised the object upward, dropping it in her lap. She tried to reach it with her fingers, but couldn't quite reach far enough and so she lowered her head and secured the object in her mouth, bringing it to one of her hands. It was a small nail. She used all of her Spencer genes to toy with the lock, angling and positioning the nail, waiting to hear the click that would signal her freedom. But, nothing. No matter how hard she tried, it remained locked. But, she wasn't willing to admit defeat just yet. And, so she pleaded with every saint in heaven that Olivia had ever mentioned, praying that they answered her and would assist in opening the lock. She wiggled the nail in the mechanism and nearly cried when she heard the resounding click, as the handcuffs opened and her hands were free.

She jumped from the chair and ran toward the door, her feet catching on the rug, as she fell toward the floor. She looked down at her feet, one shoe missing and tore the last remaining shoe off of her foot, as she headed for the elevator. She was about to push the button, as she heard the elevator start to move. Someone was coming up. She reached for the lamp on a nearby table and held it like a club, waiting to strike.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Sir, this is a black-tie event. I understand that you have invitations, but you cannot enter without the proper attire," the hostess told them, with arms folded, standing guard at the entrance to the private exhibit.

"Hey, you," Jason said to a passerby that was heading into another exhibit, "Give me your tie."

"What? Screw you, mister!" the man replied, wearing a bright blue tie and attempting to walk past Morgan. He was caught short when Jason stayed him with his massive arm.

"I really wish that you would reconsider," Jason answered, giving him his glacial stare.

"Just give him the tie, Charlie," his friend said at his side, as Charlie reluctantly loosened his tie and handed it over.

"Yours too," Jason Morgan told Charlie's friend, as Dante looked at him and simply shook his head in disbelief. Morgan handed the tie to Dante and motioned for them to get lost.

"Put it on," he ordered Dante, as he glanced toward the hostess, "Can we pass now, or should I start looking for suits?"

"You'll do," the hostess smiled, looking at Jason Morgan, before turning her gaze to the detective.

Dante Falconeri placed the tie around his neck and attempted to tie it. It was too long and the bright blue color was emphasized by his dark gray shirt and blue jeans. He looked incredibly sexy and she was a bit saddened when she couldn't hold them any longer.

"Go ahead, Detectives," she told them, as Dante walked past her and turned his head in her direction.

"I'm the detective," Dante answered her, flashing his badge again, as the hostess looked at a scowling Jason Morgan.

"So, what's that make you?" the hostess asked Morgan, as Dante answered.

"Escaped Convict. He's very dangerous," Dante told her, not cracking a smile.

"Yeah, right. Enjoy the exhibit," she told them, "You guys must really love this stuff, huh?" she continued, pointing to the first exhibit in Franco's art showcase, as Dante and Jason walked past her.

The room had stark white walls with additional white partitions throughout, breaking up the room. On each wall were black and white photographs of different sizes. Black leather benches were spaced strategically throughout the exhibit allowing the patron to sit and analyze the artwork before them. Each photograph depicted the image of a death scene, the subject posed to elicit the maximum response from its viewer. The images were hazy, the clarity fractured to the naked eye, as the patron was drawn to the dark side of human nature in each photograph.

Dante looked down at the art brochure in his hand and read the bio of the first photograph.

Homeless Man- Brooklyn, 2002.

The photograph depicted an alley strewn with newspapers and garbage with a large trash bin in the top left corner. An image of a homeless man was shown center right, a bottle of Bismark in one hand. At first glance, it appeared the man was passed out with the bottle of booze empty at his side. But, if one ventured closer, they noticed the opposite hand, palm open, with the text written upon it. CH98.

Dante peered closer, his eyes focusing on the homeless man's wrist, as he raised his eyebrow and turned his gaze to Jason Morgan.

"Do you see that?" Dante asked, pointing to an object on the man's wrist.

"Yeah, I do," Morgan replied, curious as to why a homeless man would be sporting a Rolex on his wrist.

"We pulled him in for questioning on an unsolved homicide around that time. But, we let him go. Even back then, I knew that something was off with this guy," Dante said, analyzing the photograph.

Directly to the left of the body, laying on its side was a spray can, its nozzle pointed to the brick building in the background. On the brick wall, spray painted in bold blue script, were the letters and numbers PO94.

"We have to stop him Jason," Dante told him, exposing his torment over Lulu's abduction.

"We will. But, only if you stop thinking like a cop. You have to let me play his game, Dante. You can't second-guess him. He isn't rational," Jason replied, insisting that Dante let him take control.

"You think I don't get that, Jason? The son of a bitch has Lulu. I don't know if she is ok. Is she scared? I'm a cop, Jason. I'm supposed to protect her. How did I do that? I let that sicko walk out of the hospital with her. What if she was only a few feet away and I didn't even know it? I need her to come home safe," Dante demanded, wringing his hands and raking them through his dark hair.

"You will, Dante. But, you have to start thinking like Franco. What would he do? What will his next move be? That's how we'll catch him, Dante," Morgan answered, trying to reassure Dante.

"So, exactly how do we do that? He has been one step ahead of Interpol for years. How are we going to do what they, with all of their resources, could not?" Dante questioned, in a worried tone.

"We start at the beginning. We find out everything that we can about the artist, Franco. Starting with the photographs- He's arrogant and narcissistic. The clue to his identity is in the photos on these walls."

Jason walked toward the next photo, glancing at the biographical data on his pamphlet and returning his focus to the photograph in front of him. It was a woman with long dark hair, her mouth open, her eyes wide with surprise. She lay sprawled on the floor of a bedroom, her hand pointing to the walls behind her. They were covered with photographs.

"More crime scenes?" Dante asked, stepping closer, just mere inches from the photo art, as he tried to understand Franco's mind.

"Sir, you need to back away from the art, please," an older, robust gentleman ordered. He had white hair peppered with gray and stood with the pompous pose of authority, his arms folded across his chest.

"Art? That's your opinion," Dante answered, revolted at the thought that people actually liked this.

"Not my opinion, detective?" the man said, looking down at Dante's waist and seeing his pinned badge, "That photograph two over from where you stand, just sold for twenty-five thousand dollars."

Dante walked toward the photo in question, his eyes widening as he recognized the subject.

"Jason, get over here," Dante told him, ushering him with his hand.

"What is it?" Jason asked, as he turned and looked at the photograph displayed on the wall. It was a picture of a dark-haired woman, with long wavy hair dressed in blue jeans and a low-cut black tank top. Her eyes were closed, her body positioned in the trunk of the car at an angle. One hand pointed to the corner and to the piece of paper that was just out of her reach, an address printed in black ink.

158 Duane Street

"Christ, Dante. That's Sam," Jason said in disbelief, as he stood before the photograph and realized that Franco had his girlfriend in his clutches.

Jason Morgan's face turned angry and he approached the empty wall beside the photograph, punching it as he released an expletive. He wanted to wrap his hands around Franco's throat and choke the life from him.

"No more following police orders, Dante. We do this my way, or I do it alone," Jason whispered, vehemently, "You're choice."

"You're still in my custody, Jason. If you run off hell-bent on rescuing Sam, I'll be right by your side. I am trusting that you know Franco's moves as well as you say you do, but if you're wrong, Jason. If Lulu gets caught in the crossfire- God help you."

"I think that we should check out the address on that slip of paper," Jason told Dante, as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

...

Franco stood in the shadows and observed Morgan and Detective Falconeri, as they viewed his collection. He smiled, proud of the work displayed on the walls, the darkness inside of him captured on film for the world to see. He had glimpsed his first taste of the darkness when he was merely a boy, the wave of pleasure washing over him, as he had stood over his first victim. It seemed so long ago, now, he thought glancing at the first photograph in his exhibition. It was funny how the games he enjoyed as a kid, the players from long ago, came full-circle and how his game-changing play would soon be revealed to them all.

Franco stepped from the shadows in full disguise, walking mere inches from where Dante and Jason stood.

"Engaging, isn't it? She's a true masterpiece of death art," Franco whispered, with Dante and Jason's backs to him, as he continued on, invisible to everyone around him.

Dante turned, but no one was there. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a well-dressed man round the corner. Goosebumps erupted on his skin and a sudden feeling of dread overcame him.

"But, yours detective, will be my greatest work," Franco said out loud, as he opened the doors of the gallery and hailed a cab. He was enjoying the game and couldn't wait for the next chess piece to be played.

"158 Duane Street. There's an extra twenty if you step on it," Franco told the taxi driver, as he leaned back against the seat and smiled.

...

Lulu stood next to the elevator, her hands shaking, as she grasped the lamp tightly in her hands. Her body continued to tremble, as she feared Franco's return. She wished that it were Dante coming up that elevator and his face that would appear. Life wasn't fair. She had waited so long for Dante to come into her life. To feel loved and to know what it meant to love someone in return. They had overcome so many obstacles to get where they were today. She wanted so badly to tell him what he meant to her and the joy she felt at the knowledge that she was carrying his child.

If only she could turn back the clock and stop herself from leaving his apartment, from doubting him. She had let her insecurities get the best of her, control her. Why couldn't she have trusted in Dante's love for her and convinced him that Brooklynn was trying to tear them apart. She was angry at Carly and Brooklynn for setting her up, for making her doubt him, but she would put all of that aside just to hear his voice. She wiped the tears that were spilling from her eyes and took a deep breath, as she raised the lamp above her head and waited, the cage door opening beside her.

Franco heard Lulu's heavy breathing, her fear alerting him to her presence near the door. He had underestimated her, he thought, smiling, as he instinctively blocked the lamp that shot out of the darkness, coming dangerously close to his head.

Lulu inhaled sharply, as the lamp was snatched from her hand and crashed onto the floor near her feet.  
She felt the weight of an arm hit her chest, its force propelling her toward the floor, as she landed, twisting her body, so that her side took the full force of the impact.

"Now why did you have to go and do that, Lulu? I thought that we had something good here," Franco said, looking down at the smashed lamp on the floor.

"You're delusional," Lulu replied, her hands shaking from both fear and anger, "Dante's going to find me and God help you, when he does."

"I just saw Detective Falconeri, cupcake. I hate to tell you this, but he isn't coming. Do you know why, Lulu? He doesn't have a clue, as to where you are. But, don't worry I left a bread crumb. You just won't be here when he discovers it," Franco told her, with a menacing smile.

"You're wrong. He could be downstairs as we speak. What if he followed you, Franco? He's going to find me. I know it," Lulu answered, assuredly, her side aching from the short fall.

"He didn't follow me, Lulu," Franco replied, pulling out a camera, "Fact is, Morgan and Falconeri didn't even see me. He isn't coming to your rescue."

Franco pushed the blond hair from her swollen, tear-filled eyes, opening her palm and pointing her finger toward a piece of paper to her left. Lulu swatted his hand away, refusing to pose for his game. Franco gave her a menacing stare, his eyes glacial.

"I like you, Lulu. You're a fighter. But, if you spoil my game, Detective Falconeri won't like what he finds. Do I make myself clear?" Franco told her, repositioning the piece of white paper near her fingertips. Lulu glanced over at the paper, resting her head against the cold, granite floor, as she read the writing and tears continued to fall down her face.

CAI98

"There, see, Lulu, it isn't so bad to cooperate. Now let's get moving. We have a lot to do before the next player is up," he said, pulling out his cell phone and making a call.

"I need you to stall him. I don't care how, just do it."

"That's Ronnie, isn't it?" Lulu asked, not wanting Franco to confirm it, "What do you have on him? It must be pretty bad to let you do this, to betray his best friend."

"Best friend? If you're detective knew what I did, Lulu, the last thing that Ronnie Domestico would be is his best friend."

…...

The taxicab pulled up alongside the warehouse, its brick facade ominous. Dante paid the driver and followed Jason out of the car heading toward the entrance of the building. They had called the super and asked him to meet them. They had no idea what to expect, or what Franco had planned for them. Hell, Dante thought, this could be a dead end. His cell phone rang and he quickly answered it.

"Detective Falconeri," he said to the caller at the other end.

"Dante, it's Ronnie. Mac wanted me to check on your progress. How did the gallery opening go? Did you get any leads?"

"Maybe. We're working on it right now," Dante told Ronnie, as Morgan gave him the universal signal for silence,"Look, I'll have to call you back. I'll fill you in on more details once they become available," he answered, hanging up the phone.

"You want to tell me why you feel it necessary to keep our whereabouts from Detective Domestico," Dante asked Jason, curious as to his answer.

"The fewer people that know where we are, the better advantage we have of getting Franco. We don't know if he has anyone on the inside. Look at Carter, I never saw that coming," Jason told him, recalling Carter on the floor of the shower room, as his last words were from Franco.

They were approached by a short, beady-eyed man with a receding hairline. His facial expression told them that he did not like being ordered about.

"Since when do cops from the PCPD hold jurisdiction over NYPD," the superintendent asked them, perturbed that he had been summoned away from his veal scallopini.

"Since this detective used to walk this beat," Dante answered, holding out his hand, "Look, I appreciate you taking the time to come out here and let us in."

"Don't know why you want to? The place has been empty for months," the super told them, looking up at the loft a few floors above.

"No one else lives in the building?" Dante questioned, realizing how convenient this must have been for Franco.

"A few people did up until about a month ago. Must have been some buyout, because these places are hard to come by, you know. It's a turn-of-the- century building. Rent isn't less than seven thousand a month. The guy that bought this place out, lost a lot of dough to get these rooms. It's a shame, though," the super answered.

"Why do you say that?" Dante asked, looking at the super.

"Well, they just sit empty. No one has stepped in or out of this building in weeks," the super said, as he placed the key in the elevator and closed the cage door.

"This place is cool, though. Still has a working elevator. Not many places still have these cages," the super answered.

"Yeah, I actually have one of these," Dante told him, smiling as he recalled the image of Lulu showing him the empty loft and their ecstatic hope that their interruptions were finally over. How wrong they had been.

"Damn things, never keep anyone out," Dante shared, wondering if he and Lulu would ever figure out how to disengage the elevator when they were intimate. Hell, right now, he would take interruptions from everyone in Port Charles for the next six months if it meant bringing Lulu home.

They stepped off the elevator, Dante's shoe nearly missing the broken shards of the lamp at his feet. Putting aside his personal feelings at the moment, he shifted gears and assumed the air of a police detective, his eyes analyzing the surroundings around him.

"Doesn't look like a place that has been deserted," Dante said out loud, noticing the lamp on the floor.

"Probably just some rodent knocked it over," the super said, wondering why the window was open a few inches and the electricity was on.

"That's strange. I make a point of checking on this place every few nights. There isn't supposed to be any electricity on, nor the windows open. Do you think that someone was here, Detective?" the super asked.

"Could be nothing, but we'll look into it-" Dante told him, stopping mid-sentence, as his eyes caught on an something in the far left corner of the loft, near the radiator. He walked toward the chair in the corner, a pair of handcuffs lay on the floor, but it was the object next to it that stopped Dante in his tracks. He picked it up, cradling it in his hand, as his eyes filled with rage.

"Dante, what is it?" Morgan asked, him, stepping toward the spot where Dante stood.

"She was here, Jason. Lulu was here," Dante said emotionally, angry that Franco was still one step ahead of them, as he looked down at the pair of red high-heeled leather shoes.

He remembered Maxie telling him that they were by a new Italian designer and how thrilled she was to receive them, only to be disappointed when they were Lulu's size.

"Who's Lulu?" the super asked, not receiving an answer from either of them.

Next to the shoes was a black and white photograph of Lulu in the passenger seat of a car. Her eyes were closed, but Dante could make out the tear streaks that marked her face. She looked tired, his eyes analyzing every inch of her face for any sign of harm. It didn't appear that Franco had touched her, but that didn't reassure Dante. If the bastard had hurt Lulu, nothing would keep him from Franco.

"Dante, over here," Morgan told him, gesturing for Dante to join him, as he crouched, reaching between the pipes for a piece of paper lodged within. Morgan opened the paper, the writing inside in bold lettering.

It was the brochure for an upcoming exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Art. Franco's traveling exhibit, Death by Numbers, was appearing two nights from now. Inside the brochure was one ticket and a message scrawled inside.

This time you come alone, Morgan.

"I don't like this, Jason. Too many things could go wrong. Lulu's life is at stake," Dante told him, not for a second agreeing to Franco's terms. He would be at that exhibit, no matter what he had to do to get inside.

"We don't have a choice, Dante. We have to play Franco's game by his rules," Jason answered, seeing the wheels turning in Dante's head.

"Well, that's not going to happen, Jason. I'm through waiting on Franco to make the decisions, to decide when Lulu is no longer useful to him. I'm taking her back, Jason. So, you just keep the psycho distracted long enough for me to figure out where he stashed her."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Franco pulled up to a small cottage with white picket fences and a small vegetable garden in the front yard. The house was simple, no signs of Franco's influence marred its outside walls and it was a far cry from what Lulu Spencer had expected from the mother of a serial killer.

"Hi, Mom," Franco exclaimed, as his mother opened the door and he stood before her, his hand like a manacle around Lulu's.

"Bobby?" she said in a mellow tone, as she glanced up at him and then down at the bag he held in his hands.

"I brought you those herbs you like: mugwarts, juniper berries, garlic to keep the vampires away," he said, as he pulled her into his arms. She glanced behind him, to both sides and then at Lulu before beckoning him inside. She wasn't playing with a full deck, Lulu thought, watching how his mother walked around the house in a daze. She seemed disconnected with reality, but then one look at her son and it was no wonder. Apparently, the old adage, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, was true, Lulu thought.

"What did you do now?" his mother asked him in a monotone voice, while her eyes focused on Lulu. Her eyes surveyed Lulu from head to toe, as a frown marked her face.

"Why did you bring her here? Don't you know they are watching," she told him, wringing her hands anxiously, as she straightened the already perfectly placed magazines on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Her home was quaint, very country, with its soft green walls and table set for tea. To the left was a fireplace, with several angel sculptures resting above. Someone had touched them, she thought, picking up one of the angels with a cloth and wiping it clean. She placed it back upon the mantel and turned to her son, "Bobby, what are you doing with her?" she asked, looking at Lulu again.

"Please, you have to help me. He kidnapped me. I need you to call the police," Lulu begged, as Franco's mother looked at her emotionless.

"Would you like some tea? I just finished blending a nice soothing chai green tea?" she asked Lulu, as Lulu looked on in disbelief.

"No, I don't want any tea. I want you to call for help. I want to go home," Lulu pleaded, pulling her hand from Franco's.

She placed a cup of tea on the coffee table and turned toward Lulu, retracting her hand, as Lulu attempted to clasp it in her own, "Please, you have to help me get away from him. Do you know that he strapped me to a bomb? He tried to kill me."

"Bobby means well, dear," Karen Frank answered, pushing Lulu away, "You just don't understand him. Even when he was a child, no one understood him."

"No one but you, Mom," Franco told her, smiling, "You protected me. You always protect me."

"You're my baby, Bobby. Now, where is that garlic? I need you to put it near the mantle," she told him as her eyes became troubled.

"I saw them again last night. I think that they were trying to enter through the fireplace," she whispered, with a deranged look in her eyes.

"You're both nuts," Lulu cried, realizing how completely crazy Franco's family was. Oh God, please let Dante find me.

"Lulu, I brought you to meet my mother, the least you could do is be hospitable," he told her sternly, as he forced her onto the couch, "Here, have some tea!"

"I don't want any tea!" Lulu shouted, tipping the cup and watching as the contents spilled onto the coffee table and then onto the floor.

"Oh, dear. That is unfortunate," Franco's mother said, staring at the spilled tea, "Would you like another? I could brew a nice chicory blend. I do so love tea parties," she told Lulu, wiping the coffee table with a cloth.

"No, Mother. I'm afraid that Lulu isn't behaving like a lady," Franco stated, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward a room in the back hallway. He forced her inside and locked the door, pocketing the key, "Make sure that she stays inside, Mother."

"I won't be long. I promise," he told her, kissing her on her forehead.

"But, Bobby, what about the tea?" she asked, pouring another cup, as he closed the front door behind him.

"Spinelli, tell me you got something on Franco," Jason said, cradling the cell phone next to his ear.

"No signs of the demented one anywhere near the museum you mentioned," Spinelli told him, sharing his findings with Stone Cold, "But, I did find out the whereabouts of his mother, Karen Frank."

"Mother? Where?" Jason asked, as Dante insisted he put Spinelli on speaker phone. Jason reluctantly pushed the button and Spinelli's voice was immediately vocalized for all of New York to hear.

"Interpol has been searching for months trying to locate his mother and you find her in a less than a day," Dante stated, amazed at the Jackal's computer skills.

"It really wasn't that difficult once I bypassed the security walls-"

"I don't want to know how you illegally obtained the information, Spinelli," Dante answered, thinking the less he knew the better.

"Did you know that Franco grew up on Stillwell Avenue?" Spinelli told them, wishing that he could see their reaction to his news.

"That's in Bensonhurst. She lives there now?" Dante questioned, wondering if he and Franco ever crossed paths as children.

"No. She changed her name to Karen Anderson and moved to Woodstock, New York. She cashed in her pension and got a part-time job clerking. Lives pretty simple, too. She has a small cottage and seems to keep to herself," Spinelli replied, giving them an update on Franco's mother, as he searched on his laptop for more details.

"Do you have an address?" Jason asked, as Dante listened in, "131 Silver Lake," Spinelli answered.

"Ok, we're on it. Thanks, Spinelli," Jason told him, as he disconnected the phone.

"Can I have my phone back now?" Dante asked, placing it back inside his jacket.

"Do you think that he's there?" Dante said, hoping to find Lulu soon.

"I think that it makes sense that the cottage in Woodstock is his base of operation. It's close. He's practically under our feet," Jason told him, as he opened the car door.

"It seems that way, doesn't it?" Dante answered, not sure if he believed that Franco was hiding in such an obvious place. Sure, hanging out in the open would certainly fit his M.O., but it just seemed too obvious, "Well, there is only one way to find out," Dante replied, walking toward the drivers side.

"Wait, I'm driving," Dante told Jason, as he stood next to the door, "Keys, please?"

"Do you even know where we are going, Dante?" Jason asked, tossing him the keys.

"I'll find it. Just remember who's in charge here, Jason. You're in my custody until Franco is caught. Then, it's back to prison," Dante answered, as a reminder.

"Look, I don't trust you, Dante. Hell, I don't even like you, but the only way we are going to get Franco is to work together. Now, if you've got a problem with that, you'd better tell me now," Jason replied, forcefully.

"I don't trust you either, Jason. So, you just remember who's holding the gun," Dante answered.

"Right this way, sir?" the hostess told Franco as she led him to his party. The gentleman stood near the back of the gallery, discussing the artwork in front of him to two young women.

"And if you look here," he pointed at the contemporary sculpture," you will see Boyce's use of functionality. He uses geometry and repetition to explore the idea of modernity. See how he uses the hanging black steel to mimic a body dangling lifelessly," he instructed them in a German accent, as they hung on his every word.

"It's very dark, isn't it?" Franco interrupted, as the women next to his associate, Wilhelm giggled and prodded each other, thrilled by the artist that stood before them.

"I, myself, prefer Aaron Curry's Bones sculpture," he told them, pointing to a sculpture nearby that was painted black and resembled a human form, mangled and dismembered. The image reminded one of Picasso's abstract paintings with the disjointed forms painted broken and half-haphazardly put back together.

Aaron Curry's work was a true masterpiece. The inspiration for all of Franco's works of art. Curry's work embraced the dark-side of human nature, creating constructions that blurred the line between gravity and weightlessness. It was organic. Art in its most basic form.

"You're Franco, aren't you? I am so-" the brunette said bravely, as Franco smiled knowingly. They were merely voyeurs, clinging to his agent's suit, like cheap accessories. They couldn't truly appreciate his work, not like Jason.

"I love your photographs, Mr. Franco," the blonde one interjected, cutting off her friend in mid-sentence, "It is so refreshing to meet someone with such an incredible eye for art," she told him, swaying her body left to right, as she attempted to brush against him, stroking her hand up his arm.

"Wilhelm, why don't you take?" Franco said, looking at the brunette.

"Angela," she answered, with pale blue eyes.

"Angela," Franco replied, turning to Wilhelm once more, "Show her Calder's exhibit in the east gallery. I think that she would enjoy it," Franco answered, dismissing Wilhelm. Her friend started to follow when Franco stayed her with his hand.

"Not you. I have something special in mind for your perusal," Franco told her, as she gracefully accepted his arm and followed him. He looked down at her long blond hair that was pulled into a chignon at her nape and without thinking pulled the clasp from the back, releasing its mass to fall upon her shoulders.

"Much better," he said, as he led her toward a hallway free of the gallery patrons. It led toward a back entrance and they proceeded to exit into an alley behind the gallery.

"I don't usually do this," she told him, as he led her away with the palm of his hand resting on her back. She was about to say something else when he silenced her with just a look.

"Ssh," he said placing his finger against his lips, as he beckoned her toward an adjacent building, the old warehouse seemingly abandoned.

"What are we?" she started to say, as Franco interrupted, "It's my studio. I prefer to be close to my exhibits," he answered, spinning his web of lies.

"I don't know. Are you sure it's safe?" she asked him, worry etched on her face, as she looked up at the dark, brick building.

"Trust me. Do these look like the eyes of a killer?" Franco asked, using his charm to lure her to her doom.

"I suppose not," she giggled, as she took his hand and followed him into the building. He pulled out a key and unlocked a door inside, inviting her to enter. She looked left to right, her instincts telling her that she shouldn't, but ultimately she didn't listen and sealed her fate, walking into the room.

Franco followed her, pulling out the scarf from his pocket and locking the door behind him. She would prove to be a great addition to his art, he thought, as he walked behind her and placed the scarf around her neck, catching her by surprise. With one swift tug, he snapped her neck and she fell to the floor. He quickly positioned her body, using the same scarf to tie her hands in front of her. Pulling out his gloves, he covered his hands, before moving the body toward the radiator and creating his masterpiece. He shivered, thrilled at the anticipation that overcame him, as he pictured the look on Detective Falconeri's face when he discovered Franco's latest photographic masterpiece. He snapped several pictures before removing his gloves and exiting the building. Several minutes later, he entered the gallery from the back entrance, arriving just as unnoticeable as he had exited. He stood in the background and observed the art patrons around him, noting that not a one was truly appreciative of true art. The art of death. All were major suck-ups, mingling for free drinks and food and hoping to catch a glimpse of the illusive Franco.

He stepped into the shadows, his cell phone vibrating in his jacket pocket and he talked softly as he answered, "Did you take care of it?"

"Of course. But, I am surprised, sir. Why did you not want to use both for your artwork?" Wilhelm questioned Franco.

"The brunette was useless to me. It was the blonde that I needed," Franco said, slipping past the guests and out the back entrance. He headed toward the warehouse and entered the building, climbing the stairs two at a time.

"I have film to develop and you have work to do," Franco replied, ending the call, as he smiled devilishly.

"I don't know about you, but I love parties," Franco told the blonde woman sitting with her hands folded in the chair. She stared sightlessly across the room, a look of horror permanently etched in her milky eyes, as Franco pushed a button that opened a secret door, revealing the dark room behind it. From inside came a whimpering noise, like that of a wounded animal.

"Ssh," Franco said strongly, "You're time will come soon enough."

Lulu Spencer sat upon the queen-sized bed and looked at her surroundings. The room was practically empty, with only a four-drawer dresser and a nightstand beside the bed. She opened the drawer to the nightstand, hoping to find some sort of weapon that she could use, but the only object inside was a bible. Closing the drawer, she stood and walked toward the window that was covered in long, flowing blue drapes, sprinkled here and there with white flowers.

She pulled aside the drapes, using all of her strength to try to lift the window. It wouldn't budge. She looked to see if it was locked, but it wasn't. It was then that she noticed the white caulking mixture around the locking mechanism. She had sealed the window. Lulu looked around the room, scanning for something that she could use to break the glass. Nothing. How the hell was she going to escape? She sat upon the bed, dreading Franco's return, as the reality of her dilemma hit her. She wasn't getting out of here. Outside the door, she heard Franco's mother moving about the house and Lulu decided it was time to play on her maternal instincts.

"Mrs. Franco, are you there?" Lulu asked, leaning her ear against the door, "Please, I need your help."

"I can't hear you," Karen answered, holding her hands to her ears to shut out Lulu's voice.

"How can you let him do this? He's going to kill me," Lulu pleaded on the other side of the door, "Please, from one mother to another, help me get away."

"You're pregnant!" Franco's mother exclaimed, sliding her body down to sit beside the door, "Well, that's wonderful. I was pregnant once. She was beautiful," she told Lulu, drifting off to her version of reality.

"She? You mean, Franco, he's your son. So, you understand, don't you? I need to protect my baby. And you can help me. All you have to do is open the door," Lulu begged, trying to get Franco's mother to listen to her.

"Please open the door," she yelled, pounding with her fists.

She had to get out of here. Who knew when Franco was coming back.

She heard a noise outside the window and ran toward it, pulling aside the drapes and gasping at the sight, "Dante?"

"Don't look at me like that?" Franco's mother said out loud, to an empty room.

"It's not my problem. Bobby will return soon and he'll know what to do. He'll take care of her," his mother continued to ramble to the angel statues.

The angels continued to stare at her, peering deep into her soul, as she moved toward the mantle and turned the statues to face away from her, "Bobby is good. He's truly gifted, you'll see. You'll all see," she said turning toward the door, as she heard a knock.

"Now who could that be," Franco's mother said looking back at the statues, whose wings were facing her. She walked back toward the mantle and turned one of the statues around, it's cherub face smiling, as she placed it back down and went to answer the door.

"Yes?" she said aloud, answering the door to two young men. One had a hard edge to him and she stepped back thinking that he was one of those trying to enter through the fireplace. She looked behind her, relieved to see the small netted bag of garlic near the mantle.

"I have garlic. I'll use it," she threatened Jason Morgan, as he stared back at her with a glacial expression on his face.

"Detective Falconeri, Ma'am. We just have a few questions about your son. Do you mind if we come in?" he asked her, in a soothing voice.

"I'm alone. I don't think-" she said, as Jason Morgan barged in. He could have sworn that he heard voices just a second ago.

"All alone? Are you sure? I thought that I heard voices."

"I must have left the tv on," she told him, as Dante looked around not seeing a television in sight.

"We're here about your son. Franco?" Dante told her, looking around at the country décor.

"I told you. I don't have a son," Karen answered, talking in a slow, even tempo, while keeping a close eye on Jason Morgan.

"Look lady, I don't know what turnip truck you fell off of, but we need to know where Franco is," Jason Morgan told her, using a stern voice.

Karen shivered, unconsciously moving toward the detective, "I don't have a son. I've always wanted a child," she told Dante, stepping aside, so that he could enter, "But, God didn't bless me with that gift."

"Would you like some tea?" she asked Dante, reluctantly turning to Morgan as well, "I suppose you too."

"I don't want any tea," Jason replied, his eyes canvassing the house for any signs of Franco.

"I blend my own herbs," Karen whispered to Dante, while pouring a cup, "Do you have children, Detective?"

"No. No children. I would love a cup of tea," Dante answered, reaching for the cup of tea, as she handed it to him.

Jason Morgan stood near the mantle peering at her array of angel statues, all but one facing away from him. This woman definitely had more than a few bolts missing, he thought, continuing to check out the house. It screamed country, Jason noticed, every distasteful inch of it. And there was no sign that anyone else lived with her. Not surprising, thinking how batty the woman was.

"Are you married? Don't you want children?" she asked Dante, as they approached the couch.

"No, and yes, someday. Call me old-fashioned, but when I have children, I want to married to their mother," Dante told her.

"That's nice. Children are a blessing." she told him, staring off into space.

"Thank you for the tea, Mrs. Frank?" Dante answered, complimenting her. He waited for her to sit upon the sofa, before seating himself. An effort that did not go unnoticed by her.

"It's Anderson. Karen Anderson. You are a true gentleman, detective," she told him, sipping her tea, as she continued to stare at Morgan standing in front of her mantle.

"Please leave those alone," she said, raising her voice, as Jason Morgan picked one of the angel statues up and looked at it.

"They don't like to be touched," she exclaimed, releasing an inhaled breath and standing, as Jason placed it back upon the mantle. Nuts, he thought to himself, raising an eyebrow.

Jason sent a look Dante's way, using his hand to describe how truly loopy she was and looked toward a hallway that led to the back, "What's back there?"

"The bedroom. You're not allowed back there," she told him, walking toward him, "Get away from my angels. You taint them," she said, using a cloth to wipe away the invisible dirt.

Her hands were shaking, as she faced him and she reached for the garlic wielding it like a weapon before her.

"Is someone in the bedroom?" Dante asked her, watching her facial expressions.

"No," she said, wringing her hands, "No one is here. Just me. No one else," she answered, as her eyes averted Dante's gaze. She lifted her gaze, quickly looking down again, but not before Dante noticed the crazy, wild look in her eyes.

"You both need to go," she told them, "You shouldn't be here."

"I have garlic. The vampires hate garlic. Did you know that, Detective? It protects me. It will protect both of us," she said, looking back toward the bedroom.

"Who needs protection?" Dante asked her, calmly turning her gaze toward him.

"You need to leave now, " she told them, leading them toward the door, "I should not have let you in."

"I'm sorry, if we caused you any grief, Ms. Anderson," Dante said, "We thank you for your time."

Dante waited for Karen Anderson to close the door and walk out of sight, before he let the smile drop from his face.

"You know she's lying. She is hiding him," Jason Morgan stated, as Dante started to walk toward the side of the house, "We need to get back in their and find out where she has him."

"I know," Dante answered, walking toward the side of the house, carefully averting the vegetable garden, and heading toward a row of bushes that lined the house.

"You know? How the hell do you know ?" Jason asked.

"Lie detector test," Dante answered.

He realized that Karen Anderson was lying from the minute her eyes averted his and she kept darting to the bedroom. She had all of the tell-tale signs. Dilated pupils, she fidgeted when he spoke with her and she avoided his gaze when he asked about Franco.

"Lie detector test?" Jason asked, perplexed, "So, now what?"

"I want to take a look inside that window," Dante replied, quietly moving alongside the house.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry, it took me so long. But, my mind was distracted with thoughts of me and Dom, next week. LOL. No updates next week. I'm in CA for FCW and meet/greet with DOM/JULIE. Enjoy the newest chapter.**

Chapter 14

Dante walked quietly alongside the house, withdrawing his gun from its holster and aiming it in front of him. Jason was a few steps behind him and Dante turned, noticing the gun in his hand.

"Cover me," Dante told Jason, as he reached the window and was about to peer inside.

"Why don't you cover me?" Jason answered, sarcastically, as he moved, crouching near the window directly on the other side of Dante, "I don't take orders from you, Dante. Never have and never will."

Dante looked inside the window, frustrated at the long, dark-colored drapes that blocked his view.

"Can you see anything?" Jason asked, hearing the sound of crunching leaves to his right.

"Nothing. I can't see past the damn drapes," Dante told him, as he turned to Jason, "What is it?"

"Thought that I heard something," Jason answered, scanning the area around them. All was silent.

"Move aside," Jason ordered Dante, wanting to take his own glance inside. Nothing. No moving shadows. No Franco.

"If you would have let me check out the room when we were inside this wouldn't be a problem, Dante," Jason told him, irritated by Franco's absence.

"Hey, I don't have time for us to play who's on first and who's on second, Jason. Lulu's life is at stake. Every second that we stand here arguing, is one second more that she spends with that psycho. Now, are you willing to work with me, or not?" Dante demanded, unaware of the face that appeared in the window and quickly disappeared.

Dante and Jason were not willing to budge, their lack of trust evident in their body language and the guns leveled at each other, as each stood their ground. It was a male pissing contest, neither one wanting to give up control and let the other lead. They might have stood like that for several minutes, as opposed to seconds, each waiting on the other's reaction, if not for the sound that broke the silence.

"Bobby, you've got company!" Karen Frank yelled from the front of the house.

"Dante, I'm over here," he heard, erupting from the woods.

One voice, that's all it took for their bodies to spring into action.

Dante reacted first, his body becoming tense, his face etched with worry.

"Lulu," he said, softly at first, almost in disbelief, as he and Jason raced into the woods.

"Lulu," he shouted louder, his feet crushing the leaves below his feet.

His footsteps pounded on the ground, his heart beating frantically inside his chest.

"Dante," she yelled to his right. Dante heard her scream once more, his arms raised in front of him, trying to shield him from the low-laying tree branches that scraped at his arms and slapped him in the face.

He ran to her rescue, following her voice, as she and everything around him suddenly became silent. Dante stopped in his tracks, his police training kicking in. He listened for the sound of snapping branches and the disquietude of heavy breathing, the former breaking the silence, as Dante immediately turned to the left, his right hand touching the trigger, his left holding the pistol grip, as he pointed his gun toward the sudden noise. His pulse beat faster, his eyes wider, as he watched them appear before him.

Out of the woods he emerged, one arm restraining her, as the other pointed a gun to her forehead.

"Detective, what took you so long?" Franco exclaimed, as he held Lulu captive.

...

Fifteen minutes earlier, Lulu found herself standing in front of the window, her hand flush against the glass, as she realized that the image in front of her was real.

Dante was here, Lulu exclaimed, relieved that her ordeal with Franco was finally over.

She was about to turn and run toward the door, preparing to scream her head off to announce her presence, when she felt his arms grab her from behind, picking her up off of her feet, as he dragged her toward the door. She tried to yell for Dante, but he held his hand over her mouth, muffling her scream, as she kicked at him with her feet.

When she struggled harder, he whispered in her ear, his voice sending chills down her spine, "Make another move and I'll shoot him where he stands, Lulu. You know I will," he told her, holding her tightly, as he grasped the doorknob.

"Dante's a cop, Franco and he has Jason with him, too. They'll shoot you before you get a chance to run." Lulu answered him, desperately.

"Really, Lulu? Are you willing to risk that?" he whispered, poking a gun into her side, as he leaned in, "A known felon, recently released from Pentonville. Do you really believe that Dante let him carry a gun? And even if Dante managed to shoot me, Lulu. If I died by his bullet, Jason would go back to prison. He knows that. Do you really believe that he has your boyfriend's back?"

Lulu's face was crestfallen, her eyes brimming with tears, as she glanced at the door, knowing that Dante was just on the other side, "Promise me you won't hurt him," she said softly, as she felt the gun remain at her side.

"Come quietly, Lulu. I promise, it'll all be over soon enough," he told her, as he pulled her against him, his arm wrapped around her with his gun hand, while the other slowly turned the doorknob.

He opened the door just a half inch and listened for the conversation on the other side, all the while glancing at Lulu, as he raised his gun and watched the fear play on her face. He raised his finger to his lips telling her to be silent.

"I must have left the television on," Franco heard his mother say, as he peered out into the hallway.

He ducked his head back quickly, smiling. Soon, he thought to himself, it would all be over soon. The anticipation was killing him.

"We're here about your son, Franco?" he heard Dante answer his mother, as she looked back into the hallway and saw him.

Her eyes grew large for just a moment, before she directed her gaze back to Dante and Jason, leading them away from Franco's view.

"Would you like some tea?"

Franco heard Jason's muttered response and Dante's acceptance of the tea, as he pulled Lulu silently through the door, aiming his gun at Dante's back, as he pulled her farther back down the hallway and out toward the backdoor of the house.

Every instinct in Lulu's body was telling her to cry out, to scream to Dante that she was here, but what if Franco was right. What if Jason was unarmed?

She knew she couldn't bare it if anything happened to Dante. She had nearly lost him once before and she knew that she couldn't live through that again. If Jason couldn't protect Dante, then she would. Even if she had to protect him from Franco to do it.

"It's just a little further," Franco told her, as the sunlight hit her full in the face, causing her to close her eyes to the glare.

She heard the vibrating sound of a cell phone and opened her eyes, as Franco gave her a silent warning, holding the gun to her head, while he answered the phone.

"Took you long enough?" he answered, using the gun to prod Lulu deeper into the woods, "Is everything ready?" he asked, holding the phone to his ear.

Lulu glared back at Franco, as he continued to lead her into the woods and away from Dante.

She felt the branches stinging touch as they left scratches on her face and arms, "Is that him?" Lulu asked Franco, shaking her head in disbelief.

How could someone so close to them betray them? Someone that they thought was a good friend.

"It is, isn't it?" Lulu told Franco, as he continued to hold the phone to his ear, "Just take care of it," he told the caller, hanging up the phone.

"That was Ronnie. Dante's friend," Lulu laughed, as Franco pointed the gun at her and released the safety, "I heard him. At the hospital. He's working with you, isn't he?"

"Lulu, haven't you figured out by now, that all of you, every last one, have contributed to my masterpiece. Maybe Detective Domestico is just a courier, a trained monkey sent to deliver my messages at will. Or, perhaps he isn't anything of the sort. Maybe he is just an innocent pawn, trapped in my never-ending chess game. Either way, you become immortal," Franco said, raising the gun and placing his finger on the trigger.

"The next photograph in my pièce de résistance," Franco explained, as Lulu realized that he had planned to kill her all along.

"I don't want to be immortal, Franco. I want to live," she told him, begging him to change his mind.

"But, Lulu think about it. To die now, to freeze this moment of bliss that you have with your boyfriend. To never have to see the love leave his eyes when you become fat with his child and he eventually cheats. I could give that to you, Lulu. Immortality could be yours," he said, pulling her close, "All you have to do is say the word."

"Go to hell," Lulu answered him, as she heard a woman's voice interrupt.

"Bobby, you've got company!" Franco was warned, his mother's message causing a distraction.

Lulu took the opportunity to struggle with him, breaking free from his grasp momentarily and screaming, "Dante, I'm over here!"

She continued to struggle, Franco's strength overpowering, as she screamed out Dante's name one last time, feeling the gun pressed against her temple.

Franco leaned in to whisper, his arms holding her tightly, "Should we give him the good news?"

...

Jason and Dante reacted instantly to Lulu's scream, moving in different directions.

Dante's feet pounded on the ground, running toward the sound of her voice, as Jason moved silently toward the left. Franco was here, he thought. He would try to come up behind him and take him by surprise. He heard the sudden crunch of a snapping tree branch and halted, looking around him for any signs of movement. To his right, he heard Lulu scream that she was near Dante. Could she have escaped him? Was it Franco that he heard?

Cautiously, he aimed the gun in front of him, acting defensively, as he moved slowly forward, his eyes darting left to right. Behind him he heard the click of a trigger being released, as he turned around and abruptly dropped his weapon in front of him.

"Well, what do we have here? Is that a gun in your hand, Morgan?" Ronnie questioned him, smiling, as he pulled out his cuffs.

"What the hell are you doing? Franco is here. Dante needs backup," Jason replied, as Ronnie took the gun from Morgan and locked his wrists together, behind his back.

"You heard him boys," Ronnie said to the two police officers accompanying him, "Franco's here. We have no further use for him," he said turning back to Jason, "Carrying a gun violates your terms of release, Morgan. I'm afraid that you're going to have to go back to Pentonville."

"You haven't caught him yet. You need me to stop him," Jason told Ronnie, as the two officers led him toward a patrol car in front of the house.

"We've already cornered him, Jason. Where's he going to run?" Ronnie shouted back to him, as he moved forward, listening for the sound of voices in the woods.

"Let her go, Franco. She has nothing to do with this. You didn't want her last time, she was just an innocent. If you release her-"

"Release her? Detective, why would I do that? Lulu and I are more alike than you think. We've had a lot of time to get to know each other. I know things about her that-" Franco smiled, caressing the side of her tear-streaked face with the nozzle of the gun.

"What do you say we both pull the trigger at the same time, Detective? Lulu can watch us both bleed to death on the ground." Franco told Dante, as he held the gun at Lulu's forehead.

"Drop it, Detective. Or, I'll drop her," Franco threatened, his expression promising that he spoke the truth.

Dante lowered his gun, throwing the 9mm on the ground in front of him.

"Kick it away," Franco ordered, leveling the gun at Dante, as he continued to hold Lulu captive in his arms.

"I did what you asked. I played your stupid game, Franco. Now, let her go," Dante ordered him.

"Where's Morgan? I know he was in the house with you," Franco questioned Dante, curious as to why Jason hadn't appeared yet.

"Behind you, can't you feel his gun trained on your back?" Dante answered, with hatred pouring from his eyes.

"No he's not. So, where is he?" Franco questioned, not turning around as Dante wanted.

"I told you, he's just a few feet behind. Why don't you look?" Dante told him, using his eyes to warn Lulu of his actions.

"Jason?" Lulu said, turning her gaze to the right, as Franco followed suit.

"Where? Morgan, is that you?" he shouted.

Franco heard the snap of a twig, relaxing his hold on his gun hand just enough for Lulu to struggle against him, breaking free from his grasp.

Dante lunged at Franco, as Lulu fell to the ground momentarily dazed. The men fought, their bodies rolling on the ground, as Lulu found herself staring at Dante's weapon. She reached for it, the gun feeling alien in her hand. She slowly sat up, every bone in her body aching, as she leveled the gun in front of her and slowly stood up. Her hands were clammy and the gun felt cold in her hands, as they trembled, the gun shaking before her.

She tried to point it at Franco, but was afraid that she would hit Dante. She heard the sounds of fists hitting flesh and cried out, as Franco hit Dante in the chest, momentarily winding him.

"Police, put your hands up," a familiar voice shouted from behind her, as she heard the sound of footsteps hitting the ground.

Franco used the distraction to break away from Dante, pushing him to the side. Dante's head hit the ground, the force of the blow causing him to lose focus.

Franco stood for a brief second and faced Lulu, "Are you going to shoot me?" he said, as she leveled the gun at him, frozen.

He smiled, turning his back on her and running into the woods, as gunfire erupted behind him and he heard the shout of police once more. Dante stood, his head aching, as he chased after him.

Lulu stood immobile, her body shaken, her finger still on the trigger. She didn't fire the gun, but who did. She felt someone rush past her. It snapped her out of her daze, awakening her to her surroundings and his retreating back. She had to protect Dante, she thought, clutching the gun in her hand, as she raced into the woods after them.

Dante's feet trampled the leaves on the dirt path, as he ran after Franco. He heard the pounding of feet behind him and knew that he had back-up. He slowed his pace, his ears trying to pick up the sound of Franco's movement. A noise to the left alerted him and he turned, looking in that direction. He could hear his breathing nearby and his eyes scanned the woods looking for any sign of movement.

It was eerily quiet.

Then, behind him he heard his partner, Ronnie Domestico shouting at the top of his lungs, as he burst out of the woods.

"Did you get him?" Ronnie shouted, his gun aimed into the trees.

"Jesus, Ronnie. Why don't you shout a little louder?" Dante answered angry, as Ronnie stood beside him.

Ronnie lowered his gun, scanning the woods, as his gaze returned to Dante, "It looks like he got away."

"I had him in my hands, Ronnie. And I nearly had him again, before you appeared like a tank out of the woods."

"Sorry, pal. Where's Lulu? Did you get her?" Ronnie asked, as she suddenly appeared behind him.

"I'm right here, Ronnie," she answered, aiming Dante's weapon at Ronnie, as a worried Dante looked on.

"Baby, it's over. Everything's gonna be ok," Dante promised her, slowly moving toward her. She looked like she was in shock. Why else would she hold a gun aimed at Ronnie?

"Hey, Lulu. Glad you're ok. You can put the gun down now. Franco's gone," Ronnie answered, trying to reassure her.

"I don't think so," she replied to Ronnie, directing her gaze to Dante, "I heard him at the hospital, Dante. He was outside the supply room where Franco held me."

"Who?" Dante asked, enraged at everything that she had gone through.

"Franco practically confirmed it just a few minutes ago. You're working with him," she told him, as she trembled, the gun shaking in her hands.  
"What? Ronnie? But, that's crazy, Lulu," Dante replied, shaken at her admission.

It couldn't be true. He knew that Ronnie had a past connection to Franco, but allow him to kidnap Lulu.

"Dante, you know that she's just in shock, right? I mean, this is nuts, pal. Franco did that stint in jail, Dante. That was it. I would never-" Ronnie protested, watching for any change in Dante's expression.

"Lulu, you have to believe me. Whatever Franco told you was a lie. Dante's my friend. I know how he feels about you. I could never-"

"Then, explain to me what you said outside of the supply closet at the hospital," Lulu asked him, still aiming the gun at him, "You told the other officers that you already searched the area."

"Because I had, Lulu. I didn't know that Franco held you there. If I knew, Lulu-"

"I don't believe you," Lulu cried, as the gun wavered in her hands and Dante reached for it, securing it in his holster, before wrapping his arms around her.

Her body collapsed from the stress of the ordeal and Dante lifted her into his arms, turning his back on Ronnie Domestico, as he walked toward his car.

"I got you, baby." he whispered, as she held tightly to his neck and he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"Dante, pal. You believe me, right?" Ronnie asked, as he followed him to the waiting car.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Dante carried Lulu to his car, his hold lending strength, yet gentle with his reassuring touch. Reluctant to let her go, he shifted her in his arms, unlocking his vehicle with one hand and opening the passenger side. Gently, he eased her into the seat her eyes shooting open at the feel of the fabric beneath her. For a brief second, Dante saw a look of fear pass over her features, as her body tensed beneath his touch, but just as quickly as it appeared, the emotion was replaced by relief and her features softened, as exhaustion once again took over.  
Dante buckled her into the seat and closed the door, turning as he heard the approach of Ronnie Domestico.

"She's been through a lot, pal. Something like this tends to cloud your mind, maybe make you see things that aren't real. You know what I mean?"Ronnie said, trying to convince Dante that Lulu's allegations were false.

"Where's Jason?" Dante asked Ronnie, deliberately ignoring his question and raking his hand through his hair, revealing his frustration. He scanned the area, noticing two police officers escorting Karen Frank to a waiting squad car, but seeing no signs of Jason.

"Where do you think, Dante?" Ronnie replied, pointing a finger at him.

"Look, pal, you knew that Jason's release was only temporary and that he would to return as soon as we found Franco," Ronnie told Dante, shaking his head.

"Franco isn't caught, Ronnie," Dante answered, angry that Ronnie had neglected to inform Dante of his plans.

"He will be. We have his mother in custody. He can't hide for long. But, that's not the problem, Dante. You're getting soft, man. I've seen it happening for months now. You feel sorry for Jason now that Michael has been released."

"He voluntarily accepted the deal to protect Michael, Ronnie."

"He's a criminal, Dante. Not some good citizen who got sent up the river by mistake. He deserves to be in Pentonville and I am going to make it my business to ensure that he sees the inside of a cell for the rest of his life."

"Even if it means someone's life- Samantha McCall's life." Dante asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

"She knew what she was getting into when she signed up to be his girlfriend. Look, I'm not saying that we are going to stop looking for her, Dante. But, we don't need Jason anymore. Franco isn't invisible. He's famous, for crying out loud and someone is bound to notice him. It's only a matter of time until we find him." Ronnie replied, in disbelief over Dante's apparent change of heart.

"It's only a matter of time until Franco makes another move, Ronnie. And now, thanks to you, Jason is headed back to Pentonville. How do you think that Franco is going to react when he finds out that you just put the object of his freakish fascination back in prison? Do you think that he is just going to shrug his shoulders and throw in the towel, Ronnie? "

"Is that what you think? Well, I got news for you pal, the psycho is going to be pissed. He is going to come at us with guns blazing and up the ante. Who do you think is going to pay the price, Ronnie? "

"All for what, your selfish need to be proven right? Well, I hope that you can sleep at night when the body count starts to increase, because I for one, won't."

Dante left Ronnie standing with his mouth agape, as he turned his back on his pal and headed toward his car.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the police car with Karen Frank pull away, heading toward the precinct. He opened the car door and sat behind the wheel, starting the engine as Ronnie Domestico walked toward his car, "Hey, how am I supposed to get back to Port Charles?"

"You should have thought about that before you decided to take over my case, Ronnie. Find your own ride home," Dante shouted, backing up the car and driving off.

"Oh hell, " Ronnie yelled, looking around at the empty driveway and pulling out his cell phone.

Did this area even have taxicabs,"Yeah, I need the number for a cab company. No, I don't want to pay to connect. This is police business. Put a rush on it."

...

Dante drove for what seemed like hours, his eyes constantly darting to Lulu, who lay resting against the glass window. His emotions were boiling inside of him, causing his heart to race and his mind to spin.

He'd almost lost her tonight.

Franco had her in his clutches and Dante had felt helpless, desperation clouding his police training for the first time in his life. His whole life passed before him in that moment, a life without Lulu.

The wedding that they would never have, the children that they would never raise, the grandchildren that the would never dote upon, all of it gone with the vision of a gun pressed to her forehead.

In the last hour, that desperation had turned to rage, a feeling that was growing inside of Dante, building brick upon brick, as he contemplated what he would do to Franco when he found him.

As he neared Harborview Road, Dante made a right and pulled off to the shoulder of the road, for the first time in days , letting his feelings erupt from inside of him. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, as the tears welled in his eyes and his vision became cloudy.

"Dante," Lulu said softly, her hand reaching tentatively to touch his. Tears streamed down her face, as she felt his skin warm beneath her touch and she began to tremble.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm here, baby."

"I thought that it was a dream, Dante," she whispered, one hand reaching for his face, as if memorizing every feature.

"That at any minute you were going to vanish like a figment of my imagination and he would still be here," she sobbed, realizing that he was indeed real.

"He was going to kill me, Dante. He told me. He didn't care that I was-"

"I've got you, Lulu. You don't have to be scared any longer. He can't hurt you. I won't let him. Do you hear me, Lulu Spencer? No more arguments. From now on, I am not letting you out of my sight. You're coming home, Lulu," Dante said, expressing his angst, with swollen eyes and hands that stroked her arms.

"But, Dante, I need to-"

"Ssh, not tonight," Dante told her, as a sudden need to feel her overcame him, "No talk of Brooklynn, or anyone else, Lulu. Just for tonight. I need you," he cried out desperately, unbuckling her seat belt and pulling her into his arms.

He held her tightly, his hands caressing her back and his lips placing soft kisses upon her head, neck and face. His hands gently rested against the sides of her face, his thumbs stroking, as his lips claimed hers.

They moaned at the touch of their skin, powerful emotions bursting from the both of them, as they realized how close they had come to loss.

"I'm taking you home. Now, Lulu," Dante demanded, pulling his lips from hers and gazing deep into her hazel eyes filled with passion, "Are you going to fight me on this?" he asked, as Lulu shook her head side to side.

Relief flooded his body, as he let his desire consume him, once again molding his lips to hers. Lulu let the fire burning inside her break through the surface, throwing away all thoughts of the past and her insecurities.

At this moment, she had absolutely no doubt of Dante's feelings toward her. She reached for his face pushing him away briefly, as a questioning look darted across his face.

Lulu smiled, exhilarated by the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips as she traced the softness underneath his eyes, the arch of his eyebrows, the unshaven stubble upon his cheeks. Her hands moved toward his lips, as Dante's eyes closed and his mouth parted in invitation, releasing a moan.

His skin was like velvet beneath her touch and she moved closer, wanting so much to ease the ache that was building inside, as she lifted herself atop him, her back resting against the steering wheel.

"Lulu, we can't," Dante told her, his eyes popping open at the feel of her breasts beneath her blouse molding to his chest.

"Dante, do you know what kept me going all the time that I was held captive by Franco?" Lulu asked him, placing kisses upon the side of his neck, "This- I thought of how you felt in my arms, the feelings that consume me by a mere touch," she said, tracing his chest with her fingertips, as he inhaled deeply.

Raising her arms, she reached her hands around his head, raking her fingers through his hair, as she settled herself more comfortably, spreading her hips and lifting herself higher on top of him. She felt him hardening beneath her and rotated her hips, slowly thrusting against him, eliciting a moan of her own.

"Lulu, we have to stop," Dante told her, placing his hands alongside her hips and stopping the movement of her body. Her lips were swollen from his kisses and he almost lost it when he saw her tongue dart teasingly from her mouth. It took all of his strength to move his hands to her chest and push her away.

"We can't. I don't have any-" he started to say, as Lulu interjected, "Dante, it's ok. We don't need-"

"Lulu, we can't take that risk. I won't do that to you," he said, with concern in his voice.

"It doesn't matter, Dante. Trust me, we don't need protection," Lulu smiled, her secret practically begging to be let out.

"Lulu, why do I get the feeling that you are hiding something from me," Dante replied, curious as to what Lulu found so amusing.

"It's not a secret. Not really. I just-"

"I mean, we never really discussed a family. Having a child changes everything, Lulu," Dante answered, as Lulu sat stiffly atop him.

"Are you saying that you don't want children, Dante?" Lulu questioned him, one hand on his chest, while the other moved alongside her hip.

"No, that's not what I am saying at all, Lulu," Dante reassured her, kissing her on the lips, "When the time is right," he said as Lulu pushed off of him and settled into the passenger seat beside him.

"When the time is right?" she replied, peeved at his response, as she glared back at him.

"Ok, baby, this isn't going like I planned. I want a family with you. I'm crazy about you," Dante told her, frustrated that he wasn't able to express what he meant to say.

"Good," Lulu responded, grinning out the window.

"Good? Lulu spit it out, are you saying what I think that you are?" Dante asked, his eyes widening from sudden shock. No, it couldn't be, he thought, running his hands through his hair. Could it?

"Baby, are you pregnant?" he said, a bit overwhelmed.

"What if I was? Would that change anything?" Lulu answered, apprehensively.

"Lulu, it would change everything," Dante smiled, grinning ear to ear, "Are we?"

"We are, " Lulu told him, positively glowing with happiness.

"Oh My God, we're going to be parents. I'm going to be a father," he said in amazement, reaching to stroke the top of Lulu's flat stomach.

"How long?" he asked her, resting his hand across her stomach and stroking the flesh with his thumb.

"Several weeks. The hospital confirmed it, just before-"

"The hospital," Dante said suddenly, reaching across to buckle her seat belt, carefully pulling the strap across her stomach.

"Dante?" Lulu exclaimed, as he swiftly buckled his own and started the engine, looking for cars before pulling out onto the road.

"Where are we going?" Lulu asked, as Dante crept along the road at a snails pace.

"Seriously, Dante, they post speed limits for a reason. You could drive 55mph, I won't break."

"That's my child that you are carrying, Lulu Spencer. I'm not taking any risks," he told her, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly for the second time that evening.

"Is this what I get to look forward to for the next seven months, Dante?" Lulu laughed, easing back against the passenger seat.

"No," Dante told her, in all seriousness.

"No?" Lulu responded, with curiosity.

"Not seven months, Lulu. For the rest of your life. But, we'll talk about that later. Right now, we need to get you to a doctor."

"Doctor? No, Dante, I don't want to see anyone. I'm fine. The baby's fine, Dante," she said, trying to reassure him, but Dante refused to listen.

…...

"I have two legs, Dante!" Lulu shouted, as he carried her through the emergency room doors.

"Someone, I need a doctor," Dante yelled, as Lulu struggled in his arms.

"I can't believe you. Put me down right this instant, Dante Falconeri!" Lulu ordered, her demand unheard by Dante.

A nurse rushed over with a wheelchair in hand and Lulu smacked Dante lightly on the shoulder, as he lowered her onto the seat, "I'm not an invalid. I don't need a wheelchair, Dante."

"Are you ok, miss? What seems to be the problem?" the male nurse asked her, as anger welled inside of her.

"Their isn't a problem. My boyfriend, Mr. Over-reactive Detective, is being ridiculous," she replied, pushing the nurse's hands away as he continued to attempt to assess her needs, "For crying out loud, I'm pregnant, you idiot," she shouted to the bewildered nurse.

"Hormones?" Dante answered, as the male nurse looked at Dante with a sorrowful expression, "First trimester? My wife is eight months. Trust me, this is just the beginning. Your wife's moods are only going to escalate from here."

"I'm not his-" Lulu started to say, but Dante interrupted, "Look could you just find the doctor, please."

"Dr. Lee," Lulu answered, as the male nurse turned to her.

"You have no idea how much I want to wrap my hands around your neck right now, Dante," Lulu told him, with a murderous glint in her eyes.

"Baby, there is a child present," Dante scolded her playfully, as he kneeled beside her once again placing his hand atop her womb, "We'll have time for you to put your hands anywhere you want, later."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"You're absolutely positive," Dante asked Dr. Lee, needing to hear the words from her mouth, before believing that Lulu and the baby were all right.

"Yes, Mr. Falconeri, Lulu and the baby are just fine. The tests do not indicate that anything is wrong. Mommy and baby are completely healthy."

"But, Franco gave her-"

"Detective, they are ok. Whatever he gave her didn't harm either one of them. I understand your concerns. Finding out you're a father can be overwhelming. But, it can be very rewarding too," Dr. Lee assured him, turning her gaze to Lulu.

"Now, other than scheduling an appointment to see me in a few weeks, you are free to go," she said, signing Lulu's patient chart. She walked toward the door and placed it in the holder on the outside of the room, "The nurse should be here shortly. Get some rest, the both of you. Drs. Orders."

"Thanks, Kelly." Lulu told her, as Dr. Lee closed the door behind her.

"That's music to my ears. Quick, hand me my clothes, Dante!" Lulu ordered, as he reached for the bag that Maxie had delivered. Red, he smiled. He handed the dress to Lulu, eagerly anticipating the sight of her skin, as she pulled the hospital gown from her shoulders. She had a black lacy bra underneath and he knew without looking that she wore matching lace panties. His eyes remained focused on her stomach, searching for signs of her pregnancy, a slight pop that would reveal the life that they had created. Unconsciously, he extended one hand toward her abdomen, his hand flush against her skin, as he sucked in a breath.

"It's incredible, isn't it?" Lulu told him, a smile radiating across her face.

"Incredible? No," Dante told her, leaning over her and placing a kiss above her belly button. Lulu's eyes welled with tears, as she felt his lips touch her skin and saw the joy in his eyes.

"Lulu, it is freaking amazing. I just can't believe it," he told her, his hand continuing to stroke her skin. It was sending shivers up and down her spine and her heart began to race. She felt the moisture begin to pool at her very center, as she watched Dante's eyes take in every inch of her skin, his fingers tormenting her with his touch.

"Dante, what are you doing?" Lulu cried out, as his hand moved lower, teasing the elastic band of her panties.

"How long do you think that it takes to get a patient released at GH?" Dante asked her, with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Don't you dare, Dante Falconeri?" Lulu Spencer said, practically shrieking as his fingers pushed past the barrier of the black lace and caressed the flesh beneath.

"Oh My God," Lulu exclaimed, her body lifting toward his hand, as a slow ache began to build.

"We can't. The door, it's-"she practically shouted, as his lips covered her mouth, silencing her words.

He broke away for just a moment, enjoying the look of rapture staring back at him, as Lulu's breathing became raspy and her chest rose and fell quickly. Smiling, devilishly, he looked back at the unlocked door and then back to Lulu, before grinning once again, his hand moving slowly southward, as one finger, then two thrust inside. They remained motionless, as his gaze locked on hers and Lulu tried to stay still, "We can, Lulu. And baby, I promise you will," he assured her, as his mouth claimed hers and his fingers began to work inside her.

Lulu couldn't believe they were doing this here. When he was in the hospital and she had brought him roses on Valentine's Day, they had almost, but his monitors had gone off. The only alarms going off now, we're the ones in her head, reminding her of where they were, and that someone could come in at any given moment. It excited her, escalating the feelings bursting from her body, as the fire consumed her. She nearly screamed out loud, but Dante's mouth crushed to hers, and she exploded around him, tears streaming down her face at the force of her release. With one hand cradling her head in his hand and the other moving deep inside her, Dante felt her body grip his fingers, the muscles clenching and swelling and his cock began to twitch in response. He held still, knowing that they didn't have time for more, reveling in the fact that they would have all of the time in the world later. His hand wiped the tears from her eyes and he kissed her forehead, tears threatening to spill from his own.

"Baby, I missed you so much," he told her, the emotions rising to the surface.

"I missed you too," Lulu replied, kissing him on the lips, the gentlest touch, showing him how truly much.

…...

"Sorry, I took so long. The ER is a little busy tonight," the nurse told them, grabbing Lulu's chart and walking into the room. Lulu sat up on the bed, dressed in a form-fitting red dress that hugged every one of her curves, while Dante stood beside her, his arm wrapped around her, pulling her into his side.

"Here is your paperwork. Make sure that you schedule your next appointment and other than that you are all set to be released. Congratulations," she told them, handing Dante the paperwork and walking out of the room.

"Do you think that she?" Lulu thought, mortified.

"What, knew that I already took care of your release?" Dante laughed, kissing an outraged Lulu on the lips, as she slugged him playfully.

"Baby, we've just barely started," he told her, lifting her off of the bed and placing her on her feet.

"I could call her back. Maybe you should ride in a wheelchair," he baited her.

"Don't you dare, Dante Angelo Falconeri! I don't need you to baby me," Lulu raised her voice, promising retribution if he so much as looked at a wheelchair on the way out.

"Sweetheart, you better get used it. I plan to pamper you, to wait on you, hand and foot."

"Wait on me? That sounds promising. Breakfast in bed, back massages and foot rubs."

"Uh-huh. And I will read to you," Dante told her, walking her toward the door.

"I'm not much for literature, Dante," Lulu told him, resting her hand against his back, as they exited the hospital room.

"I know. But, he is going to LOVE literature. You'll see." Dante promised, as a look of sheer torture came over Lulu's face.

"Oh joy," Lulu replied, dreading the look that was coming over Dante's eyes.

"Oh, we can start with Peter Pan, or I know, Treasure Island. He'll love that book." Dante exclaimed, excited over the idea of reading to his child.

"You do realize that he could be a she, don't you?" Lulu asked him, finding his elation wonderful and humorous at the same time.

"She? Wow, we could have a girl," Dante thought, stopping next to the elevator and pushing the down arrow button.

"You'll have to read her books about fairytales and princes and princesses," Lulu said softly, gazing into his eyes.

"Fairytales? Yeah, I could do that," he answered, with a look of bewilderment.

"But, then she could be a tomboy and I could still read her books about pirates and treasure," Dante told Lulu, thrilled with his impending fatherhood.

"Why do I bother?" Lulu smiled, loving how animated Dante was over the pregnancy, as she rolled her eyes and they stepped into the elevator.

"We're going to be a family, Lulu," he realized, his eyes widening.

"Oh God, Lulu, we have to tell the family, yours and mine." Dante said, suddenly worried, as he leaned against the elevator wall.

Lulu rested her back against the wall, standing beside him, as a look of anxiety came over her face and she turned her gaze to Dante's, "But, not tonight, right?"

"Yeah, tomorrow. Hey, maybe we can invite them for dinner?" Dante asked her, relieved that they had one more day before everyone knew.

"Olivia and my mother in the same room, Dante; I don't know whether to be thrilled or petrified."

"I know what you mean. The thought of telling your Dad that we-"

"Yeah, that's not exactly on the top of my list, Lulu. Does he own firearms? Should I wear my piece, you know just in case?"

"Dante, I'm an adult. He's not going to kill you just because I'm pregnant," Lulu laughed.

"You're his cupcake, Lulu. I was thinking he might aim in a slightly lower direction."

…...

Ronnie Domestico paced back and forth in the precinct, while cradling his cell phone in one hand.

"I don't want any excuses, you got that, pal. You find out where Franco is hiding. I want this son of bitch behind bars in a cell adjacent to Morgan's."

"No luck?" Detective Spencer asked, walking toward Ronnie as he disconnected his call.

"None, it's like the bastard disappeared off of the face of the earth," Ronnie answered, handing the file to Lucky.

"Have you talked to Lulu yet?" Ronnie questioned Lucky, standing beside Detective Spencer's desk as Lulu's brother sat in his chair and threw the file in front of him.

"No. She's with Dante. I'll see her in the morning," he said, moving Franco's file a little to the left and then to the right.

"Look, pal. It's understandable that you would want to see your sister. I mean, she was held captive by a sicko. Dante would understand that, Lucky. He would expect that you would show up tonight," Ronnie told Lucky, suggesting that he stop by the apartment.

"You think so. I don't know, Ronnie. I think that maybe I should just let them-"

"You know what your problem is, Lucky?" Ronnie said, pointing his finger at Lucky.

"No, but I am sure that you are going to tell me."

"You think too much. Just go," he said, prodding Lucky out of his chair and pushing him toward the exit, "I could call them and tell them you're coming."

"You're probably right, Ronnie. I know I won't sleep tonight without knowing that she is ok," Lucky replied, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair.

…...

The elevator rose to the Dante's floor and once it stopped he turned, lifting Lulu into his arms and turning back to pull the cage door open.

"What the hell?" Dante exclaimed, the shock nearly causing him to drop her, as he walked into his apartment, carrying Lulu in his arms.

"I don't know what to say," Lulu said out loud, trying to take in the changes that surrounded them.

"I do. Holy Crap, Lulu. It's pink." Dante cried out, noticing the pink and white balloons everywhere, the white and pink roses, and the white comforter on the bed covered with red and pink petals. Draped across the windows and above the dining room table was a banner complete with pink baby pacifiers. The message read: Congratulations Dante and Lulu: It better be a girl!

He walked toward the couch, carefully lowering Lulu to her feet, as one hand raked through his hair in frustration. On the coffee table in front of him rested a book of baby names, a book for the mother on what to expect when you are pregnant and beside it a book for the father about surviving the next nine months. Spread across the table, were little party favors of pink baby bottles and pacifiers and atop those was another book with images of the stages of pregnancy. He stared in disbelief, his eyes revealing his angst. What the hell happened to his apartment? The dark browns emphasizing his bachelor pad were shrouded by the overwhelming color of pink that veiled the room. Dante turned his gaze to the kitchen and noticed two crystal glasses and a bottle of wine on the counter.

"Maxie?" Lulu answered in exasperation, as Dante shifted his gaze to her, a look of horror on his face. He picked up the bottle of champagne, scratch that, sparkling wine and turned to Lulu in all seriousness, clutching the two fluted glasses in one hand and the bottle in the other and walked toward her, seating himself beside her on the only remaining brown item left in his apartment, the couch.

"Yeah, first thing tomorrow, honey, we're changing the locks," he told her, setting the glasses on the table and unscrewing the lid to the wine. He poured the liquid into both glasses, placing the bottle on the table before him and handing one glass to Lulu.

"What should we toast to?" Dante asked her, smiling apprehensively, as he reached for his glass.

"The color pink?" Lulu laughed awkwardly, tapping his glass and taking a sip, while her eyes flashed with mischievousness.

Dante's face became serious and he set his glass on the table, before reaching for hers and doing the same. All signs of humor left her face and she took a deep breath, bracing herself for the impending conversation, as silence suddenly filled the room.

"Talk to me Lulu," Dante asked her, wanting her to open up to him about her ordeal.

"That's funny, Dante, I thought that's what we were doing," she said with a hint of a smile.

"Lulu," Dante said, in that cop tone of his.

"So, you want the facts, Detective," Lulu answered him, trying to avoid the question.

"Lulu," Dante asked again, pulling her hand into his, "I need to know. I have to hear it from you. Why don't you start from the beginning?"

"That would be the night I left you, Dante," Lulu replied, tears filling her eyes, "You don't even know how badly I wanted to change that, Dante. If you knew the truth-"

"About Brooklynn? Yeah, I know Lulu," Dante told her, his hands stroking hers with a reassuring touch.

"But, how?"

"Spinelli and Maxie," he answered, as Lulu's eyes widened, "Spinelli? How does he know-"

"It's a long story, Lulu. But, we'll get into that later. The only thing that matters is that I know what Brooklynn was planning and it failed. Now, why don't you tell me where you went after you left here?"

"I went to Carly's. I needed to hear it from her, Dante. I hoped that I was wrong. But, I wasn't. She never forgave us, Dante. She never forgave me. It was all a lie. How could she do that to us, to me, Dante? We're family. She's practically my sister," Lulu cried, as Dante took her into his arms and she clung to him tightly.

"This isn't about you, honey. She was angry at me. I'm sorry that she took it out on you. God, baby, if I could take it all back, I would," he told her, her pain killing him.

"Take what all back?" Lulu asked him, pulling away to gaze into his eyes.

"What happened with Michael? Maybe everything would have been different if I had just-"

"Don't even say it, Dante! You didn't do anything wrong. Yes, it was awful that Michael was sent to prison. But, that was the judge's decision. You had no way of knowing that he would do that. You are honorable and just, Dante. You did what you believed was right, what was the best for Michael."

"Prison? Yeah, look how well that turned out for him, Lulu."

"Honey, stop, I'm not going to let you take the blame for all of this. Carly didn't set out to hurt just you, Dante. She wanted to punish me, too," Lulu replied, trying to comfort him.

"Again, it's my fault, Lulu. I dragged you into all of this. You didn't ask to lie to your family, to your friends. I did this. The punishment should be on me."

"You didn't make me do anything, Dante. I chose to be with you. I love you, Dante Angelo Falconeri. Nothing that happened and nothing that anyone says is ever going to change that, do you hear me?"

"I know. Sometimes it just amazes me how much I love you, Lulu. When you left, Oh God, Lulu, I felt like my world had just stopped. And when Franco took you, baby, there was a moment there where I thought that you were lost to me forever. I don't want to ever feel like that again, Lulu. I want to wake up every day for the rest of my life, knowing that you are right beside me."

"Dante, I feel the same way, I do."

"And now that I know about the baby, well it just all makes sense, you know?" Dante said, holding her hands nervously. He wanted to marry her so much, but what if she didn't want the same thing.

"Now that I'm pregnant? Dante, are you saying what I think you are?" Lulu asked him, her cheeks becoming pink, as she pulled her hands from his. He only wanted to marry her because of the baby!

"It just seems the right thing to do," Dante continued, as Lulu looked on, fuming. He was seriously trying to convince himself to marry her. She stood up suddenly, her hands on her hips, as Dante's expression changed to confusion.

"Baby, maybe I'm not doing this right," Dante told her, baffled as to her response. He was going to ask her to marry him, but the expression on her face told him that now might not be the right time.

"You are unbelievable, Dante. This is not the stoneage. I am perfectly capable of raising this child. I don't need you to support me, OR marry me because of some obligation. I'll be fine on my own. In fact, maybe we should take a break. Let things cool down and clear our heads. We don't have to have this discussion now."

"Take a break? The hell we will, Lulu Spencer," Dante shouted, rising to stand beside her, "We fell in love and we made a baby. We are not taking a break. You're stuck with me sweetheart. So, you better get used to it, because I have no intention of going anywhere," he told her, reaching for her hands and looking into her eyes.

"Hey, I understand, you're scared. Hell, baby, I'm scared too. But, I love you," he told her, pushing a few strands of hair off of her face, as he looked deep into her eyes.

"I only want you, Lulu. I can't see my life with anyone else, baby."

"Marriage isn't a word I think of when I think of happiness, Dante. My parents were doomed from the start, and then there's my Dad's relationship with Tracy and Lucky's marriage to Elizabeth. Look how well that turned out. She was his high school sweetheart, the love of his life," Lulu answered him, trying to convince him that it couldn't possibly work.

"Lulu, do you remember what I told you the night of Maxie and Spinelli's Non-Wedding? You were staring at the stars and had this sadness inside of you. God, I wanted so much to pull you into my arms and take away the pain from your eyes."

"We danced that night and you did that thing with your thumb," Lulu whispered, gasping as Dante used his thumb to stroke the top of her wrist.

"You asked me a question that night, do you remember what it was?" Dante asked her, his heart reflected from his eyes.

"Was I ever going to have what Spinelli and Maxie had?" Lulu asked, tears streaming down her face.

"And do you remember what my answer was?"

"You said, No, that you'll have what you have," Lulu cried, as realization hit her.

"A part of me knew that day, Lulu, that you were something special. I wanted to be that man who brought a smile to your face. And when we were dancing Lulu, baby, I never wanted to let you go. But, Lulu, I don't want our life to be your parents' storybook romance, I don't want our marriage to be what Lucky and Elizabeth had, I want us to write our own story in the stars. I love you, Lulu. I want to marry you and I want to raise our child together," he said, dropping to his knees.

"Please tell me that you feel the same. Marry me, Lulu. Not because you have to, but because you want to," Dante asked, praying that she would say yes.

"Dante, I do love you. I just don't know-"

"Don't question it, Lulu, just go with your heart. What is it telling you?" he pleaded, as his eyes welled with tears.

"I, Dante, I-" she started to say, as they heard the noise from the elevator, signaling that someone was coming up.

"Lulu, ignore it," Dante ordered, her, waiting for her answer and standing to keep her focus on him, "Tell me, what do you want? Do you want to marry me? Yes, or No."

Lulu stood before Dante all the reasons from her past shouting to say No, that nothing good could come of it, but her heart was shouting yes, yes, yes, a million times, yes. Should she follow her head or her heart. She was about to answer as the cage was pulled open and a befuddled Lucky Spencer stepped off of the elevator.

"What the-" he said, as he took a look around the apartment and then looked at Dante and Lulu for confirmation.

"Yes," Lulu answered, looking at Dante and then turning to Lucky, "I'm going to have a baby."

"We're going to have a baby," Dante assured Lulu, his mind trying to analyze the answer she had given. Yes, she wanted to marry him?

"You got my sister pregnant?" Lucky shouted, as he launched himself at Dante and they fell to the floor. Dante easily flipped his partner, pinning him to the carpet, as Lucky struggled, livid beneath him.

"I trusted you with her. You promised me you wouldn't hurt her," Lucky yelled at him.

"I have no intention of hurting her. I love her. We didn't plan it, but it happened. And I'm not sorry either and dammit I want to marry your sister, if she can just get past her pigheadedness and say yes," Dante told him, looking up at Lulu.

"That's the most sensible thing that I have ever heard you say, "Lucky replied, as Dante pulled him to his feet, "She loves you, of course she'll marry you."

"If you're both finished acting like Neanderthals, I would like to put in my own two cents? I'm pigheaded?" she said looking at Dante, "And you, where do you get off answering Dante for me? When I marry Dante, it's going to be because I love him," she said turning to Dante, "because I want to us to write our own life story and slow dance with him every night beneath the stars. I want to be married to him for centuries," Lulu whispered, while Dante looked at her with amazement in his eyes.

"Lulu, are you saying what I think you are saying?" Dante asked her, as Lucky stood by with a stupefied expression on his face.

"Maybe I should just go," Lucky told them, scratching his head, as neither acknowledged his presence any longer, each wrapped up in each other's eyes, "Yeah, I'm just going to let myself out. You guys call me if, whenever, you figure this out," Lucky said, shaking his head, as he stepped into the elevator and closed the cage. Lulu marry Dante, he hadn't seen that one coming. But, Lulu pregnant with his partner's kid, he definitely hadn't seen that one coming. As the elevator, descended, he thought that he heard Lulu respond and the answer baffled him, as a smile slowly spread across his face. Maybe it could work, just maybe.

"Yes, Dante, I'm saying yes." Lulu answered him, as Dante walked toward her and pulled her into his arms.

"You know what this means, don't you? You're going to have to ask my father's permission," Lulu told Dante, as a look of foreboding passed across his features, "Can it wait until tomorrow?"


	17. Chapter 17

**This one is a little short, but thought that I would give you a teaser. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 17**

Dante Falconeri sat at the bar of Haunted Star, nervously awaiting the arrival of Lulu Spencer's father.

"You all right, mate?" Ethan asked from behind the bar, pulling down a bottle of Luke's favorite scotch. He poured himself a glass and then reached inside the cooler beneath for a beer.

"Hey, you got one of those for me?" Dante asked Lulu's brother, who set the Bismark beer on the bar in front of Dante.

"Are you stealing my scotch again, son? I'll start putting it under lock and key," Luke Spencer said from the doorway, standing at the top of the gangplank, while Ethan looked toward him. Dante grabbed the shot glass of scotch and tilted his head back, swallowing the amber liquid in one gulp.

"You already tried that Pops. Need I remind you that I am the best when it comes to lock-picking," Ethan told his father, while Dante shook his head to clear the effects of the scotch and look at both of them.

"I didn't hear that," Dante told Ethan, squashing down the Detective instinct to ask more questions.

"Good, Dante. So, you won't hear me ask about my scotch source either," Luke answered, looking at Ethan, "Well, when's the next shipment, mate?"

"Don't soil your Depends, Luke. I'm on it," Ethan replied, turning to reach for his shot glass and noticing it empty on the bar.

"Nice, mate!" he exclaimed, grabbing the Bismark and walking past Luke, "You owe me an extra cigar for this."

"Just make sure that you get me three cases of scotch, and make sure you count them. Last time the bastard shorted me one," Luke said, as Ethan walked toward the group of ladies seated around one of the nearby gaming tables.

"Ladies," he said, handing Lulu the Bismark, "Here, your boyfriend stole mine, so I stole his. Drink up," he told her, as she shook her head no.

"You're turning down a beer. A free beer," Ethan said, suspiciously, while she smiled, "Ethan, this is my father's club. Everything is free. You know that better than anyone."

"I would love a beer," Maya said, sitting beside Lulu and taking the beer from Ethan. She grinned at Ethan, as she sent a reassuring look in Lulu's direction.

"You know something," Ethan answered, turning to question his girlfriend, Maya, "and you too, Lulu. Don't think that I won't find out?"

"Honey, there's nothing to find out. Look, Lucky just walked in why don't you get us a couple club sodas?" Maya told Ethan, as Lucky walked up to the table.

"Hey, what's going on with Dad? He looks pretty serious. Is Dante doing what I think he is doing?" Lucky laughed, asking his sister.

"Leave it alone, Lucky," Lulu ordered, pointing her finger at Lucky.

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't miss this for the world," Lucky answered, grabbing the club soda from Ethan's hand and walking toward the bar.

"Miss what?" Ethan questioned, looking to Maya, Lulu and Lucky's retreating back, "You know, I'm part of this family too, mates."

"I'll take that," Lulu said, sipping the club soda. Her nerves were on edge and her stomach was becoming queasy.

"Do you want me to find some crackers for you?" Maya asked, concerned, as Lulu nodded.

"I'll be right back," Maya told her, looking to Ethan with a frown, "Don't upset her while I'm gone."

"What? What the hell did I do?" Ethan answered, looking at his girlfriend and then back to his sister, Lulu.

"Is anyone going to tell me?" Ethan said, frustrated, as Lulu smiled, sipping her club soda, and looking nervously toward the bar.

"So, Dante, you wanted to meet me? Did you find out the whereabouts of Franco?" Luke Spencer asked him, walking behind the bar and pouring himself a snifter of scotch. He reached for a bottle of beer beneath the bar and set it in front of Dante, using a bottle opener to remove the cap.

"No, we're still looking. But, don't worry, we'll find him," Dante told Lulu's father, knowing that was one promise that he intended to keep.

"Not about Franco? Ok, you got me. I'm intrigued. What's this about?" Luke said, leaning over the bar, with his elbows planted securely, as he waited to hear what was eating Dante.

"I'd like to know the answer to that question?" Lucky asked, grinning, as he approached Dante and Luke at the bar.

"Son, Dante was just about to share something with me. Why don't you join us?" Luke said, pointing to a stool.

"Oh, I'll stand for this one," Lucky answered, looking at Dante," So, why don't you tell Luke what you did to his cupcake this time."

Dante took a long swallow of his beer and glared at Lucky Spencer, reluctantly turning his gaze to Luke Spencer.

"Lulu? What did you do to my Princess, Falconeri?" Luke questioned, setting his scotch on the table.

...

"You have got some nerve showing your face here," Carly Jax told Brooklynn Ashton, who was seated at the bar.

"Brandon, take a break," Carly told the bartender, waving him off, " Sure thing, Mrs. Jax."

"I gotta give it to you, Brookie when you plan something you go all out, but drugging him! What the hell kind of plan was that?" Carly said, vehemently, for Brooklynn's ears only.

"You said use any means possible to get Dante into bed. Well, I would have succeeded if it wasn't for your stupid Spinelli and his blabbing mouth. What the hell were YOU thinking, Carly? He's Maxie's earpiece. Dante is absolutely livid. He will probably never speak to me again. So, thanks."

"Not my problem, Brooklynn. Now that Lulu knows that I paid you to break her and Dante up, I have to do damage control. So, sorry Brookie, but can't help you out. You're on your own with this one."

"This is your fault, Carly. I knew that I should have never trusted you. Just pay me what you owe me and I'll be on my way," Brooklynn said, raising her voice.

"Lower your voice, you little bitch. Or, I swear, the next room that you will be headlining in will be behind the PCPD bars. Do I make myself clear?" Carly answered, with a menacing tone.

"You can't threaten me, Carly. What could you possibly do to me? Dante knows, Lulu knows," Brooklynn replied, shrugging her shoulders and daring Carly to disagree.

"You tried to drug a police officer, Brooklynn. That's mandatory jail time for attempted rape," Carly told her, smiling.

"What? You can't-"

"Watch me, you little tramp. Threaten me again and I'll go to Olivia. I will twist this whole scenario to make it look like it was your idea from the start," Carly promised, as Brooklynn looked on horrified, "You won't stand a chance."

"Dante wouldn't-"

"You think so, Brooklynn. I don't know if I would be willing to risk that, would you?" Carly asked her, deviously.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't go home. My grandmother kicked me out. I need the money that you owe me, Carly!"

"You have bigger problems than that, Brooklynn. And as of right now, you're homeless. So, I suggest that you start looking for a motel room. You did save the money that I already paid you, right?"

"You're a bitch, Carly!" Brooklynn shouted, standing on her feet and placing her hands on her hips.

"And you're fired, Brooklynn. Get out of my hotel. Better yet, get the hell out of Port Charles," Carly told her, lifting her finger and gesturing for one of the security guards to come over.

"Yes, Mrs. Jax," one of the guards asked, looking curiously at Brooklynn Ashton.

"Escort this trash out of the hotel, would you? She's stinking up the place!"

"Sure thing, Mrs. Jax," the security guard answered, he knew never to question his boss's decisions. She could hold a grudge for decades, "Come on, miss."

"We're not finished," Brooklynn told Carly, snarling at her, "I want my money."

"Oh, we're finished all right, Brooklynn. Now, get the hell out of my hotel," Carly said, waiting for Brooklynn to be escorted from the room before picking up her phone.

"Hi, it's Carly. I know that we said some harsh things to each other, but...I have been thinking and...Oh God...everything that you have been through...I just want to come clean about what really happened, you know," Carly begged, in her best imitation of concern.

"I'm sorry, Lulu. You're like a sister to me. I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but-" she said, laying it on thick, "Well, I hope that we can try."

With that said, Carly disconnected the call and dialed another number, waiting for the caller to pick up, "Olivia speaking."

"We need to talk. It's about Brooklynn and Dante," Carly told her, knowing that if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. She was ready to fall back on plan B


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Don't you have a case to work on, or something?" Dante said, his gaze scorching, as he peered at Lucky.

"You would like that, wouldn't you, Dante," Lucky replied, not budging an inch.

"Is everything all right with you two, son? Nothing new on Franco?" Luke Spencer asked, curious as to the sudden added tension at the bar.

"Franco? No, he's still out there, but we're getting closer. We'll get him," Lucky told his father, truthfully.

"You guys look serious?" Lulu told them, interrupting their conversation, and moving to Dante's side. She reached for his hand on the bar, her fingers interlocking with his. An action that did not go unnoticed by Luke Spencer.

"Cupcake, how are you doing?" he asked his daughter, whose face wore a mask of nervousness, "You look tired. Shouldn't you be at home, resting after everything-"

"I'm a Spencer, Dad. We're fighters. We survived the Cassidines, we can get through anything. You taught me to be independent, to know that the one thing I could count on in life was me. I can handle this."

"I know you can, Princess. But, I'm your father. I can-"

"I'm taking care of her. Franco is not going to get anywhere near her. She has me to count on," Dante told her father, with a determined expression on his face, pulling Lulu closer.

"I have no doubt, son," Luke answered, noticing the intimacy between them, "How exactly do you plan on catching him?"

Lulu's cell phone vibrated and she glanced down noticing that she had a voicemail, "I'm sorry. I have to take this. It could be work," Lulu told Dante, kissing him on the lips.

"I'm not going anywhere, Lulu. Just stay where I can see you," Dante told her, wanting to keep her in his sight.

"I won't be long," Lulu told Dante, looking over at her father, before returning her reassuring gaze to Dante, "I promise."

She walked over to a vacant game table and sat down upon one of the chairs and dialed her messaging service. Dante watched her for a few minutes, completely entranced by every move her body made. He loved the way she stumbled over her words when she was flustered, the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, the silhouette of her figure, with curves in all the right places and he especially loved how protective she was of him. The lioness one minute, defending him to everyone and the pussycat the next, calmly assuring him that all was well.

He loved her more than he ever thought possible, so why was it so hard to do the one thing that should bring the families together, that would move their relationship to the next logical level.

"Cowboy, go see if we got those Cuban cigars I like so much. They should be in the back," Luke demanded, wanting a minute alone with Lulu's boyfriend.

"Dad, you just checked it an hour ago, the box is still there. And since Ethan is at the gaming table in plain view, I think that your cigars are safe," his son told him, not wanting to miss this conversation.

"Lucky, sport, just humor me."

"Fine, I'll just check on the illegal cigar stash hidden in the back room. Never mind that I'm a cop and should be turning you in this very second."

"Son, if I had a nickel for every time you reminded me of your poor career choice, I'd be a rich man. Now make yourself scarce. Me and Lulu's Italian Watchdog need to talk," Luke Spencer told his son, resting his elbows on the bar counter.

Lucky Spencer just shook his head, reluctantly walking away from the bar and headed toward the gaming table where Luke's other son, Ethan Lovett sat.

"Finally, now Falconeri, start talking, what did you do to my princess? If you hurt her, I'm warning you son, I know people who can break your kneecaps," Luke answered, smiling humorously at Dante.

"You do realize that you are threatening the son of Sonny Corrinthos," Dante replied, with a grin of his own, the tension starting to dissipate a little, "and for the record, I would never hurt Lulu. You can bet on that."

"Love can make you do crazy things, son. Never intentionally," Luke said grabbing a shot glass and pouring his prized scotch into it. He pulled another beer from the cooler and placed in on the bar in front of Dante.

"Mr. Spencer, I would do anything for Lulu, I love her," Dante admitted, watching Luke Spencer look behind him and turn back to Dante, "Mr. Spencer? For a second there, I thought my old man was going to show up, but since the sonofabitch is dead-"

"Look, son, I don't know what is going on between the two of you, and honestly I don't want to know. Would I have chosen you for her? No. You're another cop, and I already have one in the family. But, truth is, Lulu is a big girl. She has been making her own decisions since long before she found out that Santa Claus doesn't exist and the tooth fairy doesn't fly around, breaking into houses and leaving coins behind. So, whatever you've done, just say it!"

"I'm in love with your daughter," Dante told Luke Spencer, nervously, "Crazy in love. So much so, that I can't see my life without her."

"Want my advice son? Run, now, why you still have a chance. Once they sink their claws into you," Luke Spencer, answered, thinking of his first wife, Laura Spencer, "You're a lost cause. Game over. No more cons. It's all about settling down, having...responsibilities," Luke told Dante, shivering in disgust at the use of the word.

"Sir, I don't want to run. I love Lulu. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't have any claws," Dante replied, as Luke Spencer, grinned and said, "She's a Spencer, believe me, she has them."

"What I'm trying to say is that-"

"Well, I...wanted to ask if-"

"Spit it out, Falconeri!" Luke told him, taking a large swallow of the scotch and throwing it back, keeping his eye on Lulu who sat near the entrance. He watched Maxie Jones enter the club and walk toward her, eyeballing the drink in her hand.

"I want to ask permission to marry-"

"Club soda? Lulu are you pregnant?" Maxie Jones exclaimed loud enough for all to hear, hands on her hips, as Lulu's eyes grew large and she looked toward the bar.

Luke Spencer's eyes grew large as well, and he spit out his prized scotch. In a split-second his situation began to sink in, Lulu was pregnant, she was going to marry a cop and he was going to be a Grandpa.

"I need another drink," Luke replied, glancing at his soon-to-be overly anxious son-in-law. Hell, No, he thought, this couldn't be happening to him. All sorts of thoughts ran through his head. Another cop. Jesus, he thought, focusing on Dante, who looked like he was about to lose his lunch. Luke smiled, realizing how much fun he could have with this.

"No, you don't have my permission!" Luke said, trying to keep a straight face. The fact was, he knew how much Dante Falconeri loved his daughter, but he wanted to know how crazy she was about him. So, he wanted to watch him squirm just a little bit.

"Excuse me? I don't think that I-"

"I think that you need to prove to me why you deserve to be my son-in-law," Luke challenged, a diabolical plan forming in his head.

"Prove?" Dante answered, nervously, wondering why her father couldn't just say yes and be done with it.

...

Lulu was listening to Carly beg for forgiveness when Maxie Jones showed up and shouted her news to the world.

"Oh My God. You are, aren't you?" she declared, reaching for Lulu's club soda and placing in on the table beside them.

"I'm listening," Maxie told Lulu, waiting for an explanation.

"There isn't anything to tell, Maxie. We were just as surprised as you," Lulu grinned, her hand rubbing against her stomach, "I'm really excited, Maxie," Lulu shared, lowering her voice, "I really want this baby. Crazy, huh?"

"Certifiable, Lulu. Think about it Lulu, your day will be filled with feedings, diaper changes, crying and burping, should I go on?" Maxie asked, looking at Lulu as if she had lost her mind.

"I want it, Maxie. Every bit of it. I never thought that I would say that," Lulu admitted, using her hand to cover her mouth, "I love this baby so much. I'm just so scared, Maxie. He or she is going to depend on me for everything, what if-"

"You'll be a great mother, Lulu. But, don't worry, when your child grows up and one day decides that you and Dante aren't the perfect parents, and have morphed into the bane of his or her existence, he or she, will turn to Aunt Maxie, the ultimate conveyor of wisdom, beauty and fashion sense."

"Oh joy," Lulu said, clutching her stomach, "I think that I am going to be sick," she said, running for the restroom, as Maxie followed.

"Out of my way, pregnant woman coming through!" Maxie shouted, "Maxie, I got this. Really, go stand with Dante," Lulu told her, thinking that Dante could use some support.

"Fine," Maxie replied, secretly relieved that she didn't have to hold Lulu's hair back while she puked her guts out.

"Does Lulu need-" Dante asked, as Maxie raised her hand, "No, she doesn't and you have a lot of explaining to do, mister, like how you knocked my best friend up and what the hell you're going to do about it?" Maxie yelled, as Dante looked from left to right, his gaze stopping at the entrance to the Haunted Star and the woman standing there. He shook his head, wondering if today could get any worse. First, Lulu's father said no to marrying her, then Maxie had to broadcast the pregnancy to Ethan Lovett and Lulu's father, before Dante could say a word, and now, she was standing in the doorway. One hand rested on her hip and the other lifted to point straight at him in an accusatory move, one which he knew would come with scathing remarks.

"Dante Angelo Falconeri, tell me I did not just hear what I think that I did?" Olivia Falconeri demanded, walking up toward the bar, "Is it true?"

"It is, Olivia," Lulu answered, walking up behind Dante, "We're going to have a baby," Lulu told her, watching Olivia's eyes fill with tears.

"A baby? Oh, honey, that is great. I mean, it is great, right? You both want-"

"Dante asked me to marry him," Lulu told both her father, and Olivia, "and I said yes."

"Oh, Lulu, I am so happy for both of you," Olivia said, beaming, while she sent a look of you are so lucky to her son.

"Are you sure about that princess?" Luke Spencer answered, loving the look of rejection on Dante's face.

"Of course she's sure about it. We've never been more sure about anything in our life," Dante made a point of saying, focused on her father. What the hell was he getting at?

"Lulu, cupcake, if it's about the baby, you don't need him to-"

"The hell she doesn't," Dante shouted, standing up and facing her father, "I know that we have had our differences. Honestly, I don't know why, because in the time that I have known you, we have had no more than a handful of conversations, but sometime during those talks you decided to dislike me."

"Maybe it's because I'm a cop," Dante answered, as Luke looked at him shrugging his shoulders and looking at Dante, "There is that."

"Make no mistake, Mr. Spencer, I love Lulu. I have no intention letting her raise this baby by herself. I am going to marry your daughter, Luke Spencer. With or without your blessing, although we would prefer to have it," Dante told her father, as Lulu stepped closer to Dante, letting his arm wrap around her waist and pull her closer.

"I never said that you didn't have my blessing, Dante," Luke told his very flustered future son-in-law, "I said that you would have to prove that you deserved her."

"So, well?...Did you decide?" Dante asked, worried about Luke's answer.

"I'm thinking," Luke answered, as Lulu Spencer glared back at him and Dante looked worried.

"We're going to have to set some ground rules, son," Luke answered, looking from his daughter to Dante, "My son-in-law can't be following me around, sticking his nose into my less than legal ventures."

"Maybe you should consider a career change," Dante replied, smiling.

"Or, maybe you should. I hear that plumbers make pretty good money these days," Luke told him, sliding Dante's Bismark beer toward him. He poured another club soda for Lulu and one for Lucky who approached the bar, "Here son, I was just explaining the rules to Dante."

"The rules?" Lucky questioned, wondering what his father was up to, "You know, what you can and can't do as a Spencer, while working as a...you know?" Luke told them.

"Cop?" Lucky and Dante said in unison, grinning, "Exactly." Luke told them.

"I'm not a Spencer," Dante told Lulu's father, and then glancing at Lulu, "and she is definitely going to carry the Falconeri name."

"Once a Spencer, always a Spencer, Son," Luke said, looking at Dante, "and by marrying into this family that makes you a Spencer. So, the rules apply."

"I can't suspect you, investigate you, or arrest you for anything how did you say 'less than legal'," Dante told him, smiling, "That's easy, just stop doing illegal dealings and we won't have to deal with rules."

"Stop? Lucky, will you talk some sense into him," Luke Spencer answered, raising his eyebrows in alarm, "You don't just stop the game. Life is a game."

"Dad, just say that we have your blessing," Lulu ordered him, "No, princess, he has to prove it." Luke replied, holding his ground, "You can marry my cupcake when you have shown that you deserve her."

"Dad, Dante proves to me everyday how much he loves me and is devoted to me," Lulu told her father, trying to assure him.

"Yes, pumpkin, but he hasn't shown me."

"This has nothing to do with how Dante treats me, or how much he loves me. You are worried because he is a cop. What do you need him to promise you that he won't arrest you?"

"That would a good start," Luke replied.

"Dante, promise my father that you won't deliberately make him your newest case file," Lulu demanded, as Dante looked down at her and frowned, "I'm a detective, Lulu. It's my job to investigate crimes and arrest those who have no respect for the law."

"I'm not asking you to be anything other than who you are, honey. I'm just asking you to promise me that you won't place a file on your desk with my father's name on it," she said, grinning.

"Fine, but that means no talks about illegal cigars and rum running in the back room," Dante said, turning his gaze to Luke.

"Mum's the word," Luke Spencer, answered, grinning. He was going to like having Dante Falconeri as his son-in-law.

"Good. Now, I know about the two of you, but I want to discuss my wedding and this baby inside of me." Lulu exclaimed, as Dante looked down at her and his face lit up with a smile.

"So, have we decided on any names? If it's a boy he should be named Lorenzo," Luke told them both, beaming.

"Over my dead body," Dante exclaimed, leaning over the bar, while Lulu reached for his hand and Dante sent a disarming look in his future father-in-laws direction.

"Yo, if you two are through beating your heads together, maybe you want to consider that he could be a she?"

"A girl?" Luke and Dante said in unison, "Not a chance."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"That's bloody unnatural," Ethan Lovett said out loud, as he looked at his girlfriend, Maya.

Dante, Lulu, Lucky and Luke all sat at the bar, their backs to Ethan and Maya, as Luke peered over the bar with a stoic face.

"It seems quiet enough to me. He doesn't look angry," Maya answered, raising her eyebrows.

"Too quiet. Something's up," he replied, scratching his chin.

"He's calm. Maybe it's not the doomsday scenario that you're painting it out to be," she told Ethan, leaning closer, more curious than ever about the conversation at the bar.

"Believe me, luv. Luke Spencer and quiet in the same sentence is never a good thing."

"I thought that you've only known him for a few months," Maya replied, nursing the beer in front of her.

"Months with that man, luv, feels like a lifetime. Trust me, he's up to something. I just haven't figured out what it is yet."

* * *

"Dante, can I talk to you for a minute?" Olivia asked her son, while standing alongside the bar. She pulled him aside, a look of worry on her face, as she looked at Lulu whose face had a green cast to it.

"Olivia, go. Please, I'm fine. It's just morning sickness. My father and I are going to have a little Spencer heart-to-heart while you're gone," Lulu answered, sending a look of irritation toward her father.

"I'll be right over here," Dante pointed toward one of the game tables, as he sent his own look of warning to Luke Spencer. He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her mouth, reluctantly pulling away, before grabbing his Bismark beer and following his mother.

"Hey, Ma, I know that all of this must seem quite a shock, but believe me, everything is going to turn out great. I promise."

"I know, baby," Olivia answered, mussing her son's dark hair, as he pulled out a chair and she sat down on it. She waited for Dante to become seated beside her, before speaking.

"Not that I'm disappointed, but how did you know I'd be here?" Dante asked, wondering why his mother was at the Haunted Star.

"Just a hunch. I tried your cell, but you didn't pick up. Then, I tried Lulu's, but she didn't answer either. I was going to swing past your place-"

"Our place," Dante corrected her.

"You and Lulu's place," Olivia smiled, "but then I ended up here and saw your car parked out front."

"Why were you looking for me?" Dante asked, lifting his bottle of beer and taking a long swallow.

"Have you spoken with Carly lately?" Olivia asked Dante, noticing the look of vexation that crossed his face.

"Carly? No. We're not exactly on speaking terms right now, Ma." Dante replied, trying to find the right way to explain Carly's role in Lulu's kidnapping.

"I don't understand. She left me a message that she had news about you and Brooklynn and that we needed to talk," Olivia answered, as Dante's expression turned to ire.

"I'll just bet she did. She's covering her ass, Ma. What did she tell you?" Dante questioned.

"She hasn't TOLD me anything yet, baby. I got her call, but told her I had some errands first. I came straight here. What the hell is going on?"

"She's been playing Lulu and I from the start, Ma. She never forgave me, or Lulu. It was all about getting justice for Michael going to prison."

"Let me get this straight, baby. You're telling me that she LIED to you and Lulu, that she walked around all of this time spouting off," Olivia said, raising her voice and waving her hands in the air, "about how grateful she was to you for Michael's release and she was pretending. It was all some game to her." Olivia was fuming, her face mottled with discontent.

"Hey, I don't like it anymore than you do, Ma. But, me I can't say I blame her. I put her son in prison, Ma. I lied to her for months about who I was and what I was doing. But, Lulu, she's like a sister to Carly. I can't forgive her for what she has put her through, the hurt that I see in her eyes when someone mentions Carly's name."

"It's unspeakable. Well, don't worry about a thing, I'll take care of it, baby," Olivia told him, holding her emotions in check for when she saw Carly.

"What? Ma, you need to stay out of this. Lulu and I are handling it. I already spoke with Brooklynn-"

"Brooklynn? What does she have to do with this?" Olivia demanded, as Dante raked a hand through his hair in frustration, dreading telling his mother Brooklynn's part in this whole caotic mess.

"It doesn't even matter anymore, Ma. I got a handle on it. No need to worry."

"Don't worry? You got a handle on it? Dante Angelo Falconeri, you start talking! What does Brooklynn have to do with all of this?" Olivia demanded, leaning closer.

* * *

"I know what your doing, Dad." Lulu accused, staring crossly at her father, as she tried to push down the nausea.

"Pumpkin, I don't know what you mean?" Luke lied, attempting to con his own daughter.

"It won't work with me, Dad. I recognize the signs. The beady eyes, the way that your hands rub together in glee. It's all part of the con," Lulu told him, calling his bluff.

"You got me, cupcake. You know me so well," Luke said, proudly, pouring himself a scotch.

"Too well, Dad. I love him. I need you to support me on this, to leave him alone."

"Princess, I like Dante. I do," he told her, taking a swallow, before continuing, "I just like to see him squirm more," Luke grinned.

"Dad!"

"Fine, I'll back off," Luke told Lulu, his fingers crossed behind his back.

"Promise," Lulu pleaded, not sure if she could trust him.

"Honey, when have I ever lied to you?" Luke asked, as Lulu looked at him like he was nuts, "Ok, don't answer that. I promise to back off of Dante."

"Thank you. This means a lot, Dad. That you trust me to know what is right for me. Dante is right for me. I really do love him, Dad."

"I know, pumpkin. That's why I'm doing this," Luke whispered, as Lulu walked toward the table where Dante and Olivia sat.

* * *

"I'm waiting, Dante!" Olivia told him, demanding that he answer what he meant by his last statement, her fingers tapping annoyingly on the table.

"Would you stop, Ma?" Dante said in irritation, using his hand to stop her incessant tapping.

"When you start talking," Olivia answered, ordering her son to explain with a one single look.

"What did Dante do now?" Lulu grinned, her face revealing her exhaustion.

"Hey, baby, you look tired. Do I need to speak to your father?" Dante asked, looking toward Luke, ready to defend Lulu if need be.

"I'm fine, Dante. I think that I got through to him. He made a promise," Lulu answered, grinning, as she turned to Olivia, "Whatever he did, I'm sure that he had the best of intentions."

"It's not what he did, Lulu. But, it doesn't matter right now. I can handle it," Olivia replied, using Dante's own words against him, "Why don't you, take your fiancee home?"

"I'm fine. Really. Why doesn't anyone believe me?" Lulu said, her eyes beginning to droop.

"Ma's right, Lulu. You look exhausted. I'm taking you home," Dante told her, rising from his seat and wrapping an arm around Lulu's waist,"Ma, don't go off all crazy, please! It's handled."

"What's handled?" Lulu questioned, Dante, looking back and forth at their faces.

"You're going to make it worse, Ma," Dante told his mother, in an accusatory tone.

"I'm going to forget that you said that, Dante," Olivia answered, with a scolding look, as she grabbed her purse and turned to leave.

"You would make our lives a lot easier, Ma, if you forgot the whole thing!"

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, son, but that ain't gonna happen. I protect my baby. And that includes you too, Lulu. Honey, you need to take her home."

* * *

"Dante, is there something you want to tell me?" Lulu asked, as he reached for her coat, helping her put it on.

"Nothing to talk about. Just my Ma, being Ma," Dante answered, kissing Lulu on the forehead, "I'm more concerned about you. So, humor me. Let me take you home."

"I don't know if I want you to take me home," Lulu grinned, kissing him on the lips, "You're pick-up lines need some serious work."

"My pick-up lines are famous," Dante exclaimed, trying to sound offended, but failing, as a smile spread across his face.

"Famous, huh? Can't be that great. I seem to have forgotten them," Lulu answered, shrugging her shoulders.

"Ouch. I'll have you know that my pick-up lines are a proven fact."

"Really. And just who did these famous lines of yours work on?"

"The sexiest, funniest, smartest and most beautiful person that I have ever laid eyes on," Dante told Lulu, pulling her in close.

"You think I'm sexy?"

"Oh, I wasn't talking about you, did you think-"

"If it's not me, then who the hell is it, Dante?" Lulu accused, using her fist to smack him in the chest.

"I'm kidding, Lulu. Of course, it's you, baby." Dante smiled, as Lulu glared back at him.

"Are you sure? Maybe you need another minute," Lulu replied.

"I'm positive, Lulu. You stole my heart the minute I laid eyes on you. I been running after you ever since," Dante told her.

"Because you want it back?" Lulu asked him, as he kissed her on the lips, "No, Lulu. So, I could beg you to lock it up tight, throw away the key and promise to never release it."

"That one was so bad," Lulu replied, grinning, as she kissed him back, "But, I love it."

"I thought that you would," Dante said with a cocky grin, walking her toward the exit, as Lulu waved goodbye to her Dad, Ethan and Maya.

* * *

Brooklynn sat at the bar at Jake's, nursing a Bismark and perusing the want ads. Using a felt pen, she circled a few of the advertisements, hopeful that one or two would be promising.

"Is there an ad in there for a Lying Snake For Hire, cuz that would be right up your alley," Olivia told Brooklynn, throwing her black sequined evening purse on the bar and taking a stool.

"Hot damn, foxy Olivia! What bring's you to Jake's? Miss me?" Coleman said, sliding a beer Olivia's way.

"Not in the mood, Coleman. Just keep the beers coming," Olivia answered, turning her gaze toward Brooklynn.

"You start talking! What did you do to my baby? Did you say something about Lulu?"

"Nice to see you too, Olivia," Brooklynn answered, taking a swallow of her beer, "I don't know what Dante told you, but I didn't do anything to him. Nothing that he didn't want anyway. This is her fault. Not mine. I wouldn't even be here, if she would have just paid me. Now, I'm flat broke and apartment-less, so if you want details, go see Carly! I'm not in the mood." Brooklynn replied, in an accusatory tone.

"Don't get smart with me, young lady! I'll wipe that smirk off your face, before you can croak a single syllable. You got me? Now, why don't you explain Cousin Connie's plan with Dante and Lulu?"

"You don't know?"

"Enough, but start talking. I want to know what you had to do with Carly's plan to hurt Dante and Lulu? So, why don't you drop the Woe Is Me act and start flapping your jaw."

"Carly offered me money to break up Dante and Lulu. A lot of money. Free apartment, a job at the Metro Court, and a nice hefty amount at the end. All I had to do was make it look like Dante had the hots for me. Which should have been easy, guys are always fawning all over me. Dante flirted with me, but nothing else. I couldn't get him to seal the deal."

"I know my son, Brooklynn. He would never cheat on Lulu. He loves that girl. So, where do you get off trying to weasel your skanky Bensonhurst ass in his direction. You knew that he was with Lulu."

"Gawd, I needed the money, Olivia. I didn't know that they Dante and Lulu were together, like tight. No matter what anyone says, he was flirting with me. I saw it. We had a connection, you know."

"Connection, my ass. You're delusional, Brooklynn. The only thing my son saw in you was a family friend, an old Bensonhurst buddy. There wasn't anything romantic between you, never was, never will be. He's committed to Lulu."

"PULEEZE, stop with the broken record, all right. I get it. Dante and Lulu are inseparable. Enough. If you want to convince someone, you might want to start with your Cousin Connie, cuz she is like a pit bull and Dante is her newest toy. She isn't going to stop until she shreds him to pieces."

"Cousin Connie has it in for Dante? She told you that it was because of Michael?" Olivia questioned Brooklynn, her hands aching to wring her skinny neck.

"Dante put Michael in prison. He's enemy number one, Olivia," Brooklynn told her, taking another swig of her beer, nearly finishing it. She looked at Coleman, nodding for another.

"Connie said that she forgave Dante months ago, why would she lie about that?" Olivia asked, Brooklynn confirming everything that Dante had told her.

"Because she is a heartless, lying, manipulative, power-hungry, snake-in-the-grass Hoe. She promised to pay me and the bitch LIED!" Brooklynn answered, pissed that all her dreams of an easy life went up in smoke. She was so close to all of that cash.

"She pretended to forgive Dante. She paraded around town spouting off about how we should let bygones be bygones? And you're telling me that all of it was a lie. That she PAID you to-"

"Sleep with your son. Which I didn't," Brooklynn reminded Olivia, who looked ready to pounce.

"You actually thought that you could get my son to leave Lulu for the likes of you, Brooklynn. That's pathetic. The only think saving your ass at this moment, is that I have someone more skanky than you, to drag by her fake blonde roots."

"I'm going to kill her. No, I am going to put a hurt on that relative of mine that will make Tyson's biting an ear look like child's play." Olivia replied, reaching for her purse.

"We're not finished yet. You, me and you're grandmother, Gloria, do you understand me, Brooklynn? And I want the whole truth when I get back. Every detail, Brooklynn. So, you start thinking about what you need to tell me."

"Great. Can't hardly wait. Since, you'll talk to my grandma before me, seeing as how she kicked me out and we're not speaking, tell her said hi!" Brooklynn commented, rolling her eyes at Olivia.

"Watch your wallet, Coleman. This one doesn't have a dime. She'll steal the shoes off your feet and sell you a ranch in Alaska in you ask her too." Olivia retorted, storming out of Jake's.

"Hey, give that back!" Brooklynn demanded, as Coleman grabbed her beer and placed it behind the bar.

"No cash, No Beer, Brooklynn. You're going to have to peddle your wares elsewhere." Coleman answered, wiping down the bar.

"After everything I've done for you Coleman. This is how you repay me," Brooklynn stated, irritated.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm not running any charity. So, there's the door."

"I hope you know this means that I will not be singing at Jake's any longer."

"I'm sure my customers will be thrilled to hear it. Bye, Brooklynn." Coleman told her, waving her off, as she reluctantly exited his establishment.

* * *

"I wish that I could see it," Lulu told Dante, as he used a loofah sponge and soaped her breasts, lingering over each, as she reclined against him., his arms wrapped around her.

"My Ma and Cousin Connie? The Bensonhurst Rumble. All of New York and I'm sure the majority of Port Charles would pay to see that." Dante told her, placing a kiss on her shoulder.

"Carly won't know what hit her," Lulu told Dante, grinning, picturing the hair-pulling, smackdown that Carly was about to receive from Olivia. She only wished that Brooklynn could be added to the brawl.

"How is your nausea?" Dante asked Lulu, as the loofah sponge trailed over her stomach, gently washing the bared skin.

"Mm, much better, thanks." Lulu told him, relaxing in the bubble bath, loving the feel of his arms against her skin, his hands caressing her body. It was creating sensations that were shooting straight to her core. The ache building deep inside.

"Do you think that you feel up to-" Dante asked, as Lulu turned in his arms, straddling him.

"I thought that you would never ask," Lulu told him, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him passionately.


End file.
